Be the first to The name says it all, plus a delicious red wine sauce and roasted creamer potatoes. Delicious leg of lamb with potatoes and herbs is a hearty meal in a pan. Plan ahead for marination time or begin a day in advance.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
- 1 leg of lamb, boned and butterflied (3-1/2 pounds)
- 1-1/2 cups good-quality full-bodied red wine, such as a syrah, petite sirah, or cabernet sauvignon
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 whole head garlic
- 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 Tablespoon milk
- 1 red bell pepper, roasted, skinned, and cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips
- 12 to 15 whole basil leaves
- 1-1/2 pounds small creamer potatoes (about 18), cut in half (or use larger red potatoes and cut into quarters)
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsalted lamb, chicken, or beef stock
Preparation:
Place the lamb in a large nonreactive roasting pan or baking dish. In a small bowl, mix together 1 cup of the wine, the olive oil, garlic, oregano, and chopped basil, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour this over the lamb, cover with foil, and let sit at room temperature for up to 2 hours or in the refrigerator for as long as 24 hours.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Slice about 1/4 inch off the top of the garlic bulb. Brush the exposed top with a little olive oil. Wrap the garlic in a piece of foil and bake for 1 hour. Let cool to room temperature. (You can do this step up to 6 hours in advance. Keep at room temperature.)
Holding the root end of the garlic head, squeeze the now-soft garlic into a bowl. Add the feta, milk, and a little freshly ground pepper. Mix until creamy. (This can be done up to 2 hours in advance and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.) Bring the lamb to room temperature if it has been refrigerated. This should take 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
Discard all but 1/4 cup of the marinade. Lay the lamb out on a work surface. Score, or make several shallow cuts, in the meat to help it roll more easily. Place the red pepper strips side by side down the middle of the lamb, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Place the whole basil leaves on top of the pepper strips. Gently spread the feta-garlic mixture on top of the basil leaves. Beginning with one long side, roll the lamb up jelly-roll fashion. It might be a little difficult to roll, but kitchen string will ultimately hold it together. (You can also try a diagonal roll. To do this, hold the left bottom corner of the lamb with one hand and the top right corner with the other hand. Gently twist the lamb, as if wringing out a towel, until the filling is encased. Proceed as follows.)
Secure the lamb by tying string around both ends as well as one or two places in the middle. Place the lamb in a roasting pan or baking dish. Distribute the potatoes around the sides of the pan, and pour the reserved 1/4 cup marinade over the lamb and potatoes. Stir the potatoes around to make sure they're well coated with the marinade. Lightly salt and pepper the surface of the lamb and the potatoes. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes. Turn the oven temperature down to 425 degrees F. and roast until a meat thermometer registers 160 degrees F. at the thickest part for medium rare, 35 to 40 minutes. (Roast 5 to 10 minutes longer for more well-done meat.)
Remove the pan from the oven, place the lamb and potatoes on a serving platter or carving board, and cover loosely with foil. Let sit for 15 minutes to allow the juices to flow through the meat.
To make the sauce, remove all but about 2 tablespoons of the fat from the roasting pan. Place the pan on the stove over one or two burners, and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the flour and stir quickly so it won't burn. Add the remaining 1/2 cup red wine and bring to a boil. Let it reduce by half, about 5 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce again by half, about 5 minutes, and add salt and pepper to taste.
Cut the kitchen string from the lamb. Slice the meat crosswise. Place a few potatoes on each plate, and drizzle with sauce.
Yield: 6 servings
Recipe Source: The New American Cheese by Laura Werlin (Steward, Tabori & Chang)
Reprinted with permission.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Slice about 1/4 inch off the top of the garlic bulb. Brush the exposed top with a little olive oil. Wrap the garlic in a piece of foil and bake for 1 hour. Let cool to room temperature. (You can do this step up to 6 hours in advance. Keep at room temperature.)
Holding the root end of the garlic head, squeeze the now-soft garlic into a bowl. Add the feta, milk, and a little freshly ground pepper. Mix until creamy. (This can be done up to 2 hours in advance and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.) Bring the lamb to room temperature if it has been refrigerated. This should take 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
Discard all but 1/4 cup of the marinade. Lay the lamb out on a work surface. Score, or make several shallow cuts, in the meat to help it roll more easily. Place the red pepper strips side by side down the middle of the lamb, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Place the whole basil leaves on top of the pepper strips. Gently spread the feta-garlic mixture on top of the basil leaves. Beginning with one long side, roll the lamb up jelly-roll fashion. It might be a little difficult to roll, but kitchen string will ultimately hold it together. (You can also try a diagonal roll. To do this, hold the left bottom corner of the lamb with one hand and the top right corner with the other hand. Gently twist the lamb, as if wringing out a towel, until the filling is encased. Proceed as follows.)
Secure the lamb by tying string around both ends as well as one or two places in the middle. Place the lamb in a roasting pan or baking dish. Distribute the potatoes around the sides of the pan, and pour the reserved 1/4 cup marinade over the lamb and potatoes. Stir the potatoes around to make sure they're well coated with the marinade. Lightly salt and pepper the surface of the lamb and the potatoes. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes. Turn the oven temperature down to 425 degrees F. and roast until a meat thermometer registers 160 degrees F. at the thickest part for medium rare, 35 to 40 minutes. (Roast 5 to 10 minutes longer for more well-done meat.)
Remove the pan from the oven, place the lamb and potatoes on a serving platter or carving board, and cover loosely with foil. Let sit for 15 minutes to allow the juices to flow through the meat.
To make the sauce, remove all but about 2 tablespoons of the fat from the roasting pan. Place the pan on the stove over one or two burners, and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the flour and stir quickly so it won't burn. Add the remaining 1/2 cup red wine and bring to a boil. Let it reduce by half, about 5 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce again by half, about 5 minutes, and add salt and pepper to taste.
Cut the kitchen string from the lamb. Slice the meat crosswise. Place a few potatoes on each plate, and drizzle with sauce.
Yield: 6 servings
Recipe Source: The New American Cheese by Laura Werlin (Steward, Tabori & Chang)
Reprinted with permission.
