Roasted Leg of Lamb:
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Whisk together olive oil, raspberry balsamic glaze, rosemary and mustard; set aside.
- Make small incisions all over lamb and insert garlic slices. Rub olive oil mixture all over lamb. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Transfer to roasting pan fitted with rack. Add onions; pour 1 cup water into bottom of pan.
- Roast for 80 to 90 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 145°F for medium-rare, adding water to pan as needed to avoid scorching and onions from drying out.
Transfer lamb to carving board and tent with foil.
Gravy:
- Place roasting pan on stovetop over medium-high heat; stir in flour. Whisk in wine; boil for 1 to 2 minutes or until reduced by half. Whisk in chicken stock and balsamic glaze. Add rosemary; bring to boil and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or until thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with lamb.
Tip: Serve with roasted mini red potatoes and sautéed spinach.
- Pat meat dry with paper towels. Using a small knife, make slits about 1-inch deep all over the meat and insert slivers of garlic and rosemary.
- In small bowl, mix together olive oil, salt and pepper; rub all over lamb to coat well. Place lamb in deep dish; cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Place lamb on rack in roasting pan; pour in wine. Roast for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of the leg registers internal temperature of 135°F to 140ºF for medium-rare or 160ºF for medium. Baste meat every 15 minutes with pan juices; transfer roast to cutting board. Let cool slightly.
- Carve lamb into pieces, arrange on serving platter and pour pan juices over meat. Serve immediately.
Tips:
- Use a white wine like Pinot Grigio in this recipe.
- To make a gravy for the roast, skim fat from pan drippings and place pan over two stovetop burners set on medium heat; stir in 1 tbsp all-purpose flour and 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth to make a smooth sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste; serve on the side.
- To make this recipe gluten free, omit the gravy.
Recipe provided by Chef Mary Ann Esposito
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in large saucepan set over high heat; sear lamb, reserving olive oil.
- Combine tomatoes, remaining olive oil, garlic, vinegar, and red pepper flakes in large baking dish. Add lamb, along with about 2 tbsp of reserved olive oil. Toss and season with salt and pepper. Bake, stirring occasionally, for 35 minutes or until lamb is cooked through and tomatoes are tender and juicy. Stir in basil. Remove from oven and let stand at room temperature (can be prepared up to 1 hour in advance.)
- Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions; drain and return to pot. Stir in lamb mixture and olives; cook over medium heat for 2 minutes or until heated through. Stir in feta cheese; cook for 2 minutes or until melted and creamy. Divide pasta among 6 plates; sprinkle with walnuts.
Tip: If desired, you can substitute lamb stew meat for lamb shoulder.
Recipe provided by Chef Jim Coleman
Lamb Kofta Kabobs:
- Soak bamboo skewers in water for 15 minutes. Mix together lamb, egg, lemon juice, mint, olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, salt, cumin, coriander, cinnamon and pepper until combined.
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat; grease grate well. Shape lamb mixture by heaping 2 tablespoonfuls into small sausage shapes to make 12 kabobs; thread lengthwise onto skewers. Grill kabobs, turning occasionally, for 10 to 12 minutes or until cooked through and no longer pink inside.
Pickled Red Onion: Whisk together lime juice, sugar and salt until well combined. Add red onion; stir to coat, then cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
Couscous Salad: Whisk together yogurt, olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, garlic, salt and pepper. Combine couscous, tomato, cucumber, mint and parsley in large bowl. Toss with dressing and divide among 4 plates. Top with Lamb Kofta Kabobs and pickled onions.
- In shallow bowl large enough to hold lamb in single layer, mix together minced mint, olive oil, 1 tbsp honey, garlic, lemon juice and pepper; add lamb, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate, turning once or twice, for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- In small saucepan, bring whole mint, remaining honey and water to boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer until liquid is reduced by half. Strain through fine-mesh sieve into bowl; add salt to taste. Set aside and keep warm. (Make ahead: Refrigerate in airtight container; reheat before using.)
- Remove lamb from marinade; discard marinade. Place lamb on greased grill; close lid and grill until instant-read thermometer reads 145°F for rare, 160°F for medium and 170°F for well-done. Serve with mint sauce.
Tip: If desired, lamb chops can be broiled instead of grilled.
Recipe provided by Chef Mary Ann Esposito
- In glass bowl, combine lamb, onion, peppers and tomatoes. Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, pepper, garlic, thyme and oregano; pour over lamb mixture. Refrigerate for 3 hours.
- Preheat grill to medium heat; grease grate well. Thread lamb and vegetables alternately onto skewers, reserving marinade. Grill shish kabobs, with lid down, and turning and basting occasionally with remaining marinade, for 12 minutes or until cooked to desired doneness.
Recipe provided by The Low Cholesterol Cookbook
- Mince together garlic and rosemary. Heat olive oil in 2-quart saucepan set over medium heat; cook garlic mixture and bay leaves until garlic is softened.
- Stir in red peppers and hot pepper (if using); cook for 2 minutes or until peppers are softened. Stir in lamb and brown slowly, breaking up with spoon.
- Increase heat to medium-high. Add wine; cook, stirring with wooden spoon, until most of wine evaporates. Stir in tomatoes and juice, and salt and pepper to taste; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 25 to 30 minutes. Discard bay leaves.
- Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and add to saucepan, stirring to coat with sauce. Sprinkle with cheese.
Recipe provided by Chef Mary Ann Esposito
Cucumber-Yogurt Dip:
- Line large plastic colander or sieve with a large piece of double-thickness cheesecloth or large coffee filter. Place colander over deep bowl. Spoon yogurt into colander; cover with waxed paper. Refrigerate for about 24 hours or until liquid no longer drains from yogurt. Remove yogurt; place in bowl. Discard liquid.
- Cut cucumber into quarters; remove seeds. Finely chop cucumber; drain on paper towels. Stir cucumber, olive oil, vinegar and garlic into yogurt. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Lamb:
- Meanwhile, place lamb in large shallow glass dish. Combine onion, wine, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano and bay leaf; reserve 1/3 cup. Pour remaining marinade over lamb, turning to coat both sides. Cover and refrigerate for 3 or 4 hours or overnight, turning occasionally. Remove lamb from marinade; discard marinade.
- Brush barbecue grill with olive oil. Grill lamb, with lid down, over hot coals for 20 minutes, basting occasionally with reserved marinade. Turn lamb with tongs; grill for 20 minutes or until desired doneness.
- Transfer to warm serving platter. Carve into thin slices; season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with Cucumber-Yogurt Dip, pita bread and lemon wedges.
Tip: Make this recipe gluten-free by omitting the pitas.