Leg Of Lamb With Goat Cheese Food

PANKO-CRUSTED RACK OF LAMB

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil.
• In a medium bowl, crumble the goat cheese with a fork. Add the panko, garlic, rosemary, thyme, 1 teaspoon fleur de sel and 1 teaspoon pepper. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil and stir to moisten the crumbs. Set aside for a few minutes or cover and refrigerate.
• Remove the racks of lamb from the refrigerator 30 minutes before you plan to cook them. Place the lamb, fat-side up, on the prepared pan. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons fleur de sel and 1 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 12 minutes exactly. Remove from the oven and, working quickly, use a knife to spread the mustard on the top of the lamb. Spread the crumb mixture evenly on the mustard, pressing gently to help the mixture adhere. Return the lamb to the oven right away and continue roasting for another 12 to 18 minutes (depending on the size of the lamb), until the crumbs are golden brown and the meat is 120 degrees F for rare or 125 degrees F for medium rare. (Insert an instant-read thermometer horizontally through the meat.)
• Cover loosely with aluminum foil and allow the lamb to rest for 8 minutes. Cut the racks into single or double chops and serve hot.

STUFFED LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• Remove plastic netting or twine from around the leg of lamb, if any, and open up the roast on a cutting board. Place the boned side of the roast up. With a sharp paring knife, cut away any excess fatty areas. Use a sharp knife to cut 1/2-inch deep slits in the meat about 2 inches apart, to help the meat lie flat. Cover the meat with a sturdy piece of plastic wrap or a cut-apart food storage bag, and pound the meat with a mallet or the edge of a small plate until the roast is about 3/4 inch thick everywhere, and 10 to 14 inches square.
• Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Sprinkle the upper side of the meat with salt and pepper, and then spread spinach leaves over the top of the roast to within 1/2 inch of the edges. Break up the goat cheese and sprinkle it evenly over the spinach, then sprinkle the pine nuts over the cheese.
• Roll the roast up into a tight cylinder, and tie the roast together with kitchen twine at 2 inch intervals. It's okay if a little stuffing protrudes from the sides of the roast.
• In a flat dish, mix together the flour, 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of pepper, the thyme, and the fennel seeds, and press the tied roast firmly into the flour mixture to coat all sides.
• Heat the sesame oil in a heavy oven-proof or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers, and sear all sides of the roast, including the ends, to a golden brown color. Lay the roast into the skillet, place into the preheated oven, and roast to your desired degree of doneness, or an internal temperature of 145 degrees F (65 degrees C) for medium, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, cover with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

HERB CRUSTED LAMB

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Season the meat with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, mix the herbs with the olive oil and bread crumbs. Rub both sides of the lamb with the herb mixture. Using the kitchen string, tie up the lamb leg at 2-inch intervals. Place in roasting pan and bake for 20 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Add the wine and water or broth to the roasting pan and cook for another 30 to 40 minutes, or until the thickest part of the lamb reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees F for medium. Take the lamb out of the oven, cover loosely with foil, and let the meat rest for 15 minutes. Slice and serve.

BONELESS LEG OF LAMB WITH HERBED GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Remove netting from lamb and place on cutting board. Open the meat up and season with salt and pepper. In a mixing bowl, combine the goat cheese, garlic, parsley, rosemary and Craisins®. Place the goat cheese mixture in the middle of the lamb opening and fold side layer on top of lamb. Cut 12 pieces of twine and tie lamb so goat cheese mixture is intact. Season the outer layer of lamb with salt and pepper. Cook lamb at 450°F for 20 minutes. Turn oven down to 400°F and cook for another 55 minutes. Take out of the oven and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

BONELESS ROAST LEG OF LAMB WITH FETA CHEESE, OLIVES, AND BABY EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lay the butterflied leg of lamb flat on a work surface, fat side down. Combine the bread crumbs, currants, pine nuts, parsley, garlic, feta cheese, olives, rosemary, olive oil, and lemon juice in a bowl and blend well to make a coarse stuffing for the lamb. Spread the stuffing evenly along the center of the inside of the leg of lamb. Fold the lamb towards the center, one side and then the other, to enclose the stuffing and form a roll. Pin the roll closed with toothpicks or skewers, or tie the roll in several places with butcher's twine so that it does not open during cooking.
• Season the outside of the lamb with salt and pepper and place, seam-side-down, in a roasting pan. Place in the oven and roast for 45 minutes, then add the baby eggplants to the roasting pan with the lamb. Continue roasting the lamb and eggplant for another 35 to 40 minutes for medium rare.
• Remove the lamb and eggplants from the oven and allow the roast to cool for 20 minutes before slicing. Serve 2 to 3 slices of lamb per person and 1 or 2 roasted eggplants. The eggplant should be left whole during roasting, then split down the middle to serve. They should be eaten by scooping out the creamy eggplant interior, leaving the shells behind.

PROVENCAL ROAST LAMB STUFFED WITH FIGS, GOAT'S CHEESE AND WALNUT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Trim the lamb of excess fat. Open it out flat and season the inside with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in a pan, and cook the onion until soft. Toast the walnuts in a dry pan until just turning brown. Break the goat's cheese into little nuggets.
• Gently mix all the stuffing ingredients together, bind with the egg and season with salt and pepper. Spread the stuffing on the opened piece of lamb. Roll it up and tie at intervals with string.
• Season the outside of the lamb with salt and pepper and roast in the oven for 15 minutes.
• Turn the heat down to 375 degrees F, and cook for another hour, then serve- the lamb will be pink.

LEG OF LAMB WITH GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Strip the leaves off 5-6 stems of thyme, 3-4 stems of oregano and 5-6 mint leaves. Chop finely and mix with 1 tsp lemon zest and half the garlic. Open the butterflied leg of lamb completely until flat. Spread herbs over cut surface. Spread goat cheese over herbs, distributing as evenly as possible. Roll leg back together and tie with butcher's twine.
• Place stuffed leg into a large zip top bag. Combine wine, lemon juice and honey, stirring until honey dissolves. Add to bag with several more stems of thyme and oregano and remaining lemon zest. Press out as much air as possible and refrigerate 1-2 hours, turning over at least once.
• Preheat oven to 300°F Remove roast from marinade and dry thoroughly. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place on a rimmed cookie sheet. Roast 20-25 minutes per lb, or until the internal temperature reaches 135 for rare or 145 for medium. Remove from oven and tent with foil. Let rest 10-15 minutes, until the temperature comes up to 140 for rare or 150 for medium. Remove strings, slice and serve.