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One spring lamb cut 4 ways.
Yield: 12 servings
Rack
- 4 garlic
cloves, sliced
- 2 teaspoons
Dijon mustard
- 1 sprig
rosemary, coarsely chopped
- ¼ cup
extra virgin olive oil
- Freshly
ground black pepper and salt to taste
Leg
- 20 garlic
cloves, halved
- 2½ cups
sugar
- 1 lemon,
thinly sliced
- Kosher
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Loin
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup
cream
- ½ pound
lean lamb trimmings from butchering the lamb
- Kosher
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Shoulder
- 1 pound
mixed wild mushrooms
- 1 shallot
or small white onion
- 1 garlic
clove
- 2 Tablespoons
butter
- Spinach
leaves (enough to yield ½ cup once blanched)
- Kosher
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Parsnip
and Spinach Borani
Method:
The lamb can be prepared one to three days ahead of the day you plan on
cooking. Since it is time-consuming, I suggest to prepare each cut of
lamb on separate days, and to cook everything on the day you are going
to serve the lamb. It is very important to let the lamb roast rest 5 minutes
in a warm area before slicing. Spring lamb is very moist and tender and
no sauce is necessary. If desired, flavorful pan gravy can be made from
the drippings left in the roasting pan.
To make a gravy, on the stove top, remove some of the fat left in the
roasting pan leaving just a thin coating, add ½ cup of flour and cook
over a medium flame until golden brown, add 2 cups of red wine and cook
for a few minutes on a low flame. To adjust consistency to desired thickness,
add the natural juices collected from lamb roast as it rests.
To prepare the lamb rack, clean the 8 rib bones of the excess fat and
sinew. Marinate with sliced garlic, Dijon mustard, rosemary, extra virgin
olive oil and freshly ground black pepper. Do not marinate for more than
overnight.
To prepare the lamb leg, remove excess fat and sinew from the outside
of the lamb leg. With the tip of a pairing knife make ½-inch deep incisions
in the flesh and fill each one with a small garlic clove, (at least 20).
Rub the lamb leg with freshly ground black pepper, kosher salt, thinly
sliced lemon and olive oil.
To prepare the lamb loin, have the two sides of the loin separated and
bone removed leaving the "flank" piece attached. Carefully remove any
excess fat and sinew, and with a meat mallet tenderize the "flank" piece
only. It should become large enough to be able to wrap around the loin
piece. Save all the meat trimmings and place in the food processor fitted
with a sharp blade along with ½ pound lamb trimmings, 1 egg, ¼ cup cream,
salt and pepper. Let process until completely combined. Spread the mixture
evenly on the "flank" piece reserving half of the prepared amount for
the lamb shoulder. Carefully wrap the "flank" piece around the loin and
truss loosely with butcher's twine. Season the outside with salt and pepper.
To prepare the lamb shoulder, have the shoulder butter flied open to remove
the bone, sinew and extra fat. Using a meat mallet, tenderize the meat
in between two pieces of plastic wrap. It should be about 8" x 8". Remove
the top piece of plastic and season with salt and pepper. Spread the previously
prepared lamb meat mixture (see procedure for the lamb loin) on the flattened
piece and form in to a roll. If desired, place sautéed mushrooms and spinach
leaves on top of the shoulder piece before forming it into a roll. Reshape
into a nice roll and truss with butcher's twine.
Now that you have conquered all the steps of preparation, the actual cooking
of the various lamb cuts and roasts will be simpler. You can place the
lamb loin, the shoulder and the leg piece in the oven at the same time
since all of their cooking times are very close to one another. You may
even add the rack in the same roasting pan once two thirds of the cooking
time is through, which is about 45 minutes at 350ºF in a well buttered
roasting pan. There should be about 1/8 of an inch of fat in the roasting
pan and the lamb pieces should be basted every 10 minutes. While the meat
is roasting, you may prepare the garnishing.
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