LAMB ROASTED WITH ORANGES AND MINT

            As I was checking out the wares at a new meat market, I ran into this small (1¼ lb!) butterflied leg of lamb. Clearly just a portion of a leg, or this was a very miniature animal :) However, I liked the size, as it fits into the cooking for 1-or-2 category quite nicely.

fat side

All we have to do is roll up some good stuff inside, grill the outside and roast for a short time and we will have a tasty and elegant dish. Choosing the wine should be fun too!

            Unfortunately, it is winter here on the Niagara Frontier, so I won't be using my outside grill, where we could accomplish the entire task. I'll have to save that for a summertime reprise. A leg of lamb always has a good coating of fat on its outside. We'll want to trim that down a bit for inside grilling, to minimize smoke and flare. You should probably leave all of it on for outside grilling. Using a meat hammer to pound and flatten it a little will help in stuffing and rolling. I usually like to marinate my lamb, so we'll have to do this at least the night before (longer if you can). After grilling, roast it draped in thin slices of an orange and fresh mint leaves.

Some fat trimmed off

Pounded & ready to marinate

            Now for the wine! Located high in the foothills of Beaujolais is a small cru called Chiroubles. (See map.) 

Chiroubles at red dot

There is some unique and lovely wine produced here. The Gravallon-Lathuilière estate has created a wonderful example in their 2009 Chiroubles. A more serious wine with a complex set of overtones that can be drunk now or cellared for a while. The flavor still has a brightness to it and a gorgeous color, I think it will make a lovely pairing with the lamb.

Marinade:

1 cup Onion, rough chopped

1 Tbs. chopped Garlic

Salt and Pepper

several dashes on Worcestershire Sauce

juice of one Lemon

everyday Olive Oil

            Trim some of the thicker pieces of fat off the lamb and then pound it out to an even thickness and shape, as much as possible. Place, fat side down, in a container just large enough to hold it. Sprinkle the top with salt and coarsely ground pepper. Sprinkle on Worcestershire Sauce and the juice of a lemon. Cover with the chopped onion and garlic. Pour on olive oil to just cover. Put the lid on and refrigerate at least overnight, the longer the better.

Placed in marinate

Filling:

1 cup Bread Crumbs

1 Egg

2 Tbs. grated Romano Cheese

2 Tbs. Tomato Paste

freshly ground Pepper

1 Tbs. Olive Paste*

Mayonnaise*

thin slices of Fontina Cheese

            * If you have not yet acquired a taste for Olive Paste, then replace both the Olive Paste and the Mayonnaise with Greek Yogurt. A tasty substitution.

Filling, ready to be mixed

Roasting:

small Leg of Lamb, prepared as above

1 Orange

1 Onion

several sprigs of fresh Mint

about ½ cup of liquid (water is fine)

An oven thermometer

Method:

1          Remove Lamb-in-Marinade from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature for a while. Meanwhile, mix all filling ingredients, except for the Fontina Cheese and Mayo. I used a mini food-processor attachment for my hand blender for this task. Stir in enough Mayo to make a spreadable paste.

2          Remove Lamb from Marinade and brush off loose onions, etc. Do not dry off. Place fat side down on a work surface. Season with salt and pepper, then spread filling evenly over the Lamb. Place some slices of Fontina Cheese over filling at intervals. 

            

            I used a lovely Fontina from Valle d'Aosta. Roll the Lamb and tie carefully. Program your oven to BROIL. Place Lamb on a broiler pan and then into the preheated oven under the broiler. I recommend you keep it on a rack lower than you would normally use to broil meat because the fat will want to splatter. (See picture.)

Ready for broiler

Broiling not-too-close

3          Broil for about 8 minutes, roll over and broil 8 minutes longer on the other side. 

            The roast should be nicely colored. 

            Remove from oven and reprogram to BAKE at 325F.

4          Chop the Onion and scatter over the bottom of a shallow ovenproof pan. Carefully place roast on the bed of Onions. Insert the oven thermometer into the roast to its center. Strew the fresh mint over the roast and then drape the thinly-sliced Orange over the mint. Add about ½ cup of liquid to the pan. 

Just before tenting

            Tent a small piece of foil over the roast and place in the 325F oven for about 50 minutes. Remove foil after about 25 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on the thermometer! Ovens vary and Lamb legs come in different sizes. Your roast is done when it reaches 130-135F, no more! Remove from oven and tightly cover with the tenting foil. Let rest for about 15 minutes. The internal temp will increase a couple of degrees.

5          Slice and serve with a not-too-rich side. I used brown rice to which I added some fresh green-bean pieces cooked with diced carrots. I also added some button mushrooms I had sautéed in butter and deglazed with Brandy. Then I folded in some grated Romano Cheese. This made a nice, understated accompaniment to the Lamb! The Orange and Mint only adds a hint of flavor to the outside of the roast which, of course, is present in each slice.

6          The pairing with Chiroubles was brilliant: wine and food complementing each other magnificently!   -Love, Dave