Leg Of Lamb With Chorizo Stuffing Romesco Potatoes And Black Olives Recipes

STUFFED GREEK LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Lay out the leg of lamb on cutting board with the inside of the lamb facing you. Drizzle olive oil evenly over the lamb. Sprinkle oregano and basil over the lamb. Top lamb with artichoke hearts, feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and garlic; season with salt and pepper.
• Roll the lamb around the stuffing. Bundle the lamb with kitchen twine to keep from unrolling. Wrap lamb in aluminum foil and place in a baking dish.
• Roast in preheated oven to your desired degree of doneness, or an internal temperature of 150 degrees F (70 degrees C) for medium, about 90 minutes. Set aside to rest in a warm area for 10 minutes before slicing. Reserve pan juices for serving.

ROASTED RACK OF LAMB WITH SAUCE ROMESCO

Steps:

• For the lamb: Whisk together 1 cup oil, the fennel seeds and thyme. Add the lamb to the marinade and let sit until ready to cook.
• For the romesco sauce: Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Roast the garlic by placing the cloves on a baking sheet and drizzle a bit of olive oil on top. Roast until the garlic is soft, 20 minutes. Toast the almonds and hazelnuts in a frying pan. Remove and set aside. Pour a few tablespoons of the olive oil into a frying pan and quickly fry the bread until both sides are browned. Remove and let cool on a plate or paper towel. Saute the tomatoes in the same pan, adding oil if needed, for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Once the bread is cool, add to a food processor with the nuts and tomatoes and blend. Add the roasted garlic along with the piquillo and roasted peppers and process on high for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vinegar and pepper flakes. While the processor is running, slowly drizzle in the remaining oil. Add salt and black pepper to taste.
• For cooking the lamb: Turn the oven to 450 degrees F. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy ovenproof skillet over high heat. Sear the rack of lamb for 1 to 2 minutes on all sides. Set aside for a few minutes, and cover the ends of the bones with foil to prevent charring. Arrange the rack bone-side down in the skillet. Roast the lamb for 12 to 18 minutes, depending on the degree of doneness you want, checking the temperature with a meat thermometer. Let it rest for 5 to 7 minutes, loosely covered.
• For the couscous: Bring the chicken stock to a boil, and then add the saffron and salt and pepper to taste. Pour the hot stock over the couscous, cover and let stand for 10 minutes prior to serving.
• For the zucchini: Saute the zucchini with the garlic and salt and pepper to taste.
• To serve, carve each rack between the bone into 3 pieces and arrange vertically with the romesco sauce underneath. Stack the zucchini between lamb with the couscous on the side. Garnish with garbanzo beans.

STUFFED LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Rub lamb inside and out with garlic clove. Stuff leg of lamb and tie securely; sprinkle meat with rosemary.
• Put stuffed lamb on a rack and roast for 1 3/4 hours to 2 hours or until meat is 135 to 140 degrees. Remove from oven as you finish sauce.
• Discard fat in roasting pan. Add wine and broth and reduce. Add tomatoes and olives and season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat add parsley.

LEG OF LAMB STUFFED WITH GREENS AND FETA

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat the oil and sauté the fennel bulb over medium heat until just tender, about 3 minutes. Add the scallions and chopped garlic and sauté for 2 minutes more. Add the greens and sauté, stirring, until wilted. Remove from the heat and stir in the fennel seeds and pepper to taste. Let cool, and then add the mint.
• Make 8 small slits randomly in the lamb and insert the garlic quarters.
• Transfer half of the greens mixture to a small bowl. Add the cheese to the greens remaining in the skillet. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding salt if necessary (Feta is usually quite salty). Stuff the lamb with the cheese mixture, squeezing it to extract the excess juices; add some of the remaining greens if needed; the lamb should be well stuffed. Close the opening with toothpicks. Rub the lamb all over with the remaining greens. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
• Preheat the over to 450°F.
• Scrape the greens off the surface of the lamb and reserve. Brush the lamb with oil and sprinkle with the oregano and salt and pepper to taste. Place the lamb in a roasting pan that just holds it comfortably, preferably clay or Pyrex one. Roast for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring the wine to a boil and simmer for 1 minute. Add the reserved greens.
• Pour the greens mixture over the lamb and roast for 5 minutes more. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and roast the lamb, basting frequently with the pan juices, adding a little more wine to the pan if necessary, for about 30 minutes longer, or until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 135°F for medium. Remove the lamb from the oven, sprinkle with the chopped fennel or dill, cover with aluminum foil and let rest for 15 minutes.
• Carve the lamb and serve, passing the pan juices in a bowl or sauceboat at the table.
• NOTE: Alternatively, you can use a butterflied leg of lamb. Spread the stuffing over the lamb, roll it up and tie it. Marinate and roast as directed.

MOZZARELLA-STUFFED LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C). Toss bread cubes with cheese, mint and chili sauce until well combined.
• Lay meat fat side down and sprinkle all over with salt and pepper. Spread evenly with bread mixture, leaving a 1-in (2.5-cm) border at one end. Starting at the narrow end, roll up meat jellyroll style.
• Tie rolled roast together with kitchen string. Transfer to a rack set in a roasting pan and roast, basting occasionally, for 1 1/2 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted in centre of meat registers 140 degrees F (60 degrees C) for rare or 160 degrees F (70 degrees C) for medium doneness. Rest roast for 10 minutes. Slice thickly. Makes 8 servings.

LEG OF LAMB STUFFED WITH MUSHROOMS AND CHEVRE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Pound lamb out to about 1 1/2 inches thick.
• In a large saute pan heat butter over med heat and saute mushrooms until soft. Set mushrooms aside until later.
• Season lamb liberally with salt and pepper.
• Layer lamb with shallots, chevre and criminis.
• Roll the lamb into a log and tie with butchers twine.
• In a large saute pan, heat oil over med-high heat and sear lamb on all sides.
• Place lamb on wire rack with baking sheet underneath. Roast for about an hour until internal temp is reached (140 for rare, 170 for well done, I usually go about 155 and it's nice and pink but not bloody).
• Let the lamb rest about 10 minute to prevent juice from running and it drying out.

LEG OF LAMB WITH PISTACHIO STUFFING AND POTATOES

Steps:

• Combine scallions, parsley, lemon zest, pistachios, and 1 tablespoon oil in the bowl of a food processor; season with kosher salt and pepper. Pulse to a chunky paste.
• Toast coriander, cumin, and mustard seeds in a small skillet over medium heat until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle; coarsely grind. Stir together ground spices and garlic.
• Pound lamb to an even 1-inch thickness and a roughly 8-by-12-inch rectangle. Generously season both sides with kosher salt and pepper, then rub all but 2 tablespoons spice mixture on outside of lamb (side with fat); turn over and spread scallion mixture evenly over other side, leaving a 1/2-inch border.
• Starting at one long end, fold lamb in half to enclose scallion mixture; secure with twine at approximately 2-inch intervals. Let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 425°F. In a large saucepan, combine potatoes and enough water to cover by at least 1 inch. Bring to a boil; generously season with kosher salt. Boil until potatoes are easily pierced with the tip of a knife but still firm, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain; let cool until no longer steaming, about 10 minutes.
• Transfer potatoes to a roasting pan. Toss with remaining 3 tablespoons oil and 2 tablespoons spice mixture, and chopped rosemary; season and spread in a single layer. Place lamb on top; scatter rosemary sprigs in pan.
• Roast 20 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350°F and continue cooking until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of lamb near center of roast registers 140°F, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer lamb to a cutting board; loosely cover with foil to keep warm.
• Flip potatoes and return to oven until crisp and golden brown in places, 15 to 20 minutes more. Drizzle potatoes with lemon juice. Slice lamb and serve with potatoes, sprinkled with parsley and flaky salt.

LEG OF LAMB WITH CHORIZO STUFFING, ROMESCO POTATOES, AND BLACK OLIVES

Steps:

• Place the lamb in a baking dish and coat it well on all sides with the smashed garlic, rosemary, chopped parsley, and cracked black pepper. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.
• Take the lamb out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before stuffing it, to bring it to room temperature. Reserve the marinade.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Season the lamb on both sides with salt and a little freshly ground black pepper. Lay the meat on a cutting board, fat side down, and open like a book. Spoon as much of the chorizo stuffing as you can (about half, or a little more) on the right side of the lamb. Fold the left side over the stuffing, as if you're closing the "book." If some of the stuffing falls out, stuff what you can back in. Tie the lamb with butcher string at 2-inch intervals to hold it together while roasting. Carefully place the lamb on a roasting rack set in a roasting pan. Drizzle the leftover marinade over the lamb. Put the remaining chorizo stuffing into a small baking dish and set aside.
• Roast the lamb about 1 1/4 hours, until a meat thermometer inserted into the center (of the meat, not the stuffing) reads 120°F. Remove the lamb from the oven, and let it rest 15 minutes before slicing.
• While the lamb is resting, heat the extra stuffing in the oven until it's hot, about 10 minutes.
• Toss the olives, parsley leaves, and mint leaves with a drizzle of the supergood olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. Taste for seasoning. (The herb salad might not need salt, because the olives are rather salty.) Arrange the hot romesco potatoes on a large warm platter.
• Slice the lamb into 1/4-inch-thick slices, removing the butcher string as you go. Using a spatula and spoon (so you don't lose too much of the stuffing), arrange the meat over the potatoes. Scatter the herb salad over the top, and serve the extra stuffing and romesco on the side.
• Chorizo Stuffing
• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Toss the breadcrumbs with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Spread them on a baking sheet and toast 6 to 8 minutes, stirring once or twice, until they are golden brown.
• Heat a medium pot over high heat for 1 minute. Add the remaining 6 tablespoons olive oil, the rosemary sprig, and the chile; let them sizzle in the oil about 1 minute. Stir in the onions, garlic, and thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Turn the heat down to medium and cook about 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and discard the rosemary and chile.
• While the onions are cooking, heat a medium sauté pan over high heat for 2 minutes. Crumble the chorizo into the pan, and sauté about 8 minutes, until the sausage is crisp and cooked through. Drain the chorizo of excess oil and add it to the bowl with the onions. Stir in the breadcrumbs, mint, and parsley, and combine well. Taste for seasoning.
• Romesco Potatoes
• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Place the potatoes in a roasting pan and toss well with 2 tablespoons olive oil, the garlic, bay leaves, thyme sprigs, and a heaping teaspoon salt. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and roast the potatoes about 50 minutes, until tender when pierced (the time will really depend on size, age, and variety of potatoes). When the potatoes have cooled, reserve the garlic, discard the bay and thyme, and crumble the potatoes into chunky pieces with your hands. Squeeze the garlic out of its skin and set aside.
• Heat a large sauté pan over high heat for 2 minutes. (To get the potatoes nicely browned and crisp, don't overcrowd them. You may have to use two pans or brown them in batches.) Pour in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, turn the heat to medium-high, and wait 1 minute more. Add the crumbled potatoes, and season with the thyme leaves, salt, and pepper. Sauté the potatoes 6 to 8 minutes until they are crispy on one side. (Don't try to move them or turn them if they are stuck to the pan; they will eventually release themselves-just be patient.) After they've browned nicely on the first side, turn them to let them color on all sides. Once they're nicely browned on all sides, spoon the romesco and reserved garlic into the hot potatoes. Toss and stir to coat them well. Taste for seasoning. Toss in the parsley. Or, if you're not ready to serve the dish yet, turn off the heat and leave the potatoes in the pan; then, just before serving, reheat for a few minutes and toss in the parsley at the last moment.
• Romesco
• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Remove and discard the stems and seeds from the chiles, and then soak them in warm water for 15 minutes to soften. Strain the chiles, and pat dry with paper towels.
• Meanwhile, spread the nuts on a baking sheet and toast for 8 to 10 minutes, until they smell nutty and are golden brown.
• Heat a large sauté pan over high heat for 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and wait a minute. Fry the slice of bread on both sides until golden brown. Remove the bread from the pan and cool. Cut it into 1-inch cubes and set aside.
• Return the pan to the stove over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the chiles and sauté for a minute or two. Add the tomatoes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until the tomato juices have evaporated and the tomato starts to color slightly. Turn off the heat, and leave the mixture in the pan.
• In a food processor, pulse together the toasted nuts, garlic, and fried bread until the bread and nuts are coarsely ground. Add the chile-tomato mixture, and process for 1 minute more.
• With the machine running, slowly pour in the remaining 1 cup olive oil and process until you have a smooth purée. Don't worry, the romesco will "break" or separate into solids and oil; this is normal. Add the parsley, and season to taste with lemon juice, sherry vinegar, and more salt if you like.
• Note
• This is one of the most involved recipes in the book, so plan ahead and set yourself up. Both the chorizo stuffing and the romesco can be made up to 2 days ahead. You can roast the potatoes in the morning, waiting to crumble and brown them until just before serving. And if you like, stuff the lamb the morning of your supper. But remember to take it out of the refrigerator 45 minutes before roasting to bring it to room temperature. Start the romesco potatoes after the lamb has been in the oven for about 30 minutes.