Paprika Spiced Lamb New Zealand Food

SPICY LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• The objective: A nice, pink, juicy leg of lamb has a final temperature of about 120 degrees F. Use a shallow roasting pan or baking sheet with a fitted rack. Elevating the lamb slightly off the bottom of the roasting pan allows the hot air to better circulate around the meat as it cooks.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Toast the spices: In a medium bowl, combine the cayenne, fennel seeds, dry mustard, paprika, red pepper flakes and cinnamon. Mix the spices and pour them out onto a baking sheet. Place the tray inside the oven for 1 minute to warm the spices and allow them to toast slightly. This will awaken their flavors. Remove the tray from the oven.
• Make the paste to coat the leg of lamb: In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, molasses and salt. Add the toasted spices and mix together to create a paste. Coat all sides of the leg in the seasoning paste. If you have time, allow the lamb to sit out for about an hour and come closer to room temperature. Alternatively, you can marinate the lamb like this for several hours (or overnight) in the refrigerator before cooking.
• Cook the lamb: Place the lamb leg in the center of the fitted rack on the roasting pan and place it in the center of the oven. Cook, undisturbed, for 30 minutes. Use an instant-read meat thermometer and take the temperature of the thickest part of the leg meat. Your meat thermometer should read about 85 degrees F. Cook for an additional 30 minutes. Ideally, the thickest part of the leg should come to about 118 degrees F. Remove the lamb from the roasting pan to a flat surface to rest.
• Make the sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together vinegar and mustard. Place the fresh chiles on a flat surface and, with a small knife, cut them both into thin rounds, ribs, seeds and all.
• Pour off some of the drippings from the bottom of the roasting pan. Put the pan on top of a burner on your stove. Start a low heat under the pan and when the drippings begin to sizzle, add in the mustard, vinegar and fresh chiles. Taste for seasoning. Pour over the leg of lamb.
• Carve the meat: Begin carving at the loin end of the leg; you want to carve at a right-angle relative to the grain of the meat. Observe that this meat has lines almost like a piece of wood, aim the blade of your knife at a right-angle to the grain and slice thin pieces. Arrange the slices on a platter with the sauce.

PAPRIKA SPICED LAMB (NEW ZEALAND)

Steps:

• Potatoes - Par-boil, drain & set aside. Do not overcook.
• Paprika Sauce - Heat oil in a lrg saucepan over mod heat. Add bacon & onion & sauté till golden brown. Add tomato paste & cont to fry for 2 min, stirring well. Add garlic, thyme & paprika & combine well. Fry for 30 seconds, then add lemon juice & stock. Bring to a boil & reduce heat to a slow simmer for 15 min (don't simmer too hard or the sauce will reduce too much). Remove from heat & adjust seasoning to taste. The sauce should be a thick coating consistency. If too thick, add a little extra stock to dilute.
• Lamb - Season lamb & sear in hot oil till cooked to your liking. Set aside, covered & in a warm place to rest before carving.
• To Serve - Just before serving, add the cream & bring the sauce back to a simmer. Add the potatoes to complete their cooking (be careful not to overcook the potatoes or allow them to break up - they will heat through & finish cooking very quickly). Place 6 portions of sauce & potatoes on dinner plates & arrange sliced lamb over the top.
• Notes: Sautéed onion w/pitted chopped olives was suggested as an optional garnish, but the picture of sautéed fresh mushrooms on the side kept flashing before my eyes. :-).
• Recipe Tips: (found at the end of the recipe) 1) If using lamb loin or rump, sear the pieces whole & then slice to serve. For cutlets, sear & put aside till required. 2) Paprika varies widely in quality & freshness. Good paprika will thicken the sauce in a similar way to flour & will require time to cook out the raw, grainy texture.

PAPRIKA ROAST LEG OF LAMB WITH MINT SAUCE

Steps:

• Marinate the lamb: Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, paprika, cumin, oregano, red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons salt and several grinds of black pepper in a medium bowl; whisk until smooth. Place the lamb on a rimmed baking sheet or in a roasting pan; poke about 10 slits into each side with the tip of a paring knife. Rub the marinade all over the lamb, massaging it into the meat and slits. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Remove the lamb from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature about 1 hour before roasting. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and set a rack in a roasting pan. Wipe any excess marinade off the lamb and season all over with salt and pepper; transfer to the rack. Roast until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 130 degrees F to 135 degrees F, about 1 hour 50 minutes. Remove from the oven, transfer to a cutting board and let rest 30 to 45 minutes before carving.
• Meanwhile, make the mint sauce: Combine the mint, parsley, garlic, mustard, capers, lemon juice, sugar, red pepper flakes and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a blender and puree until smooth. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl. Carve the lamb and serve with the sauce.