KC132009 Leg of Lamb

Last night for dinner I made a boneless leg of lamb for six people. I served it with roasted carrots and baby Yukon gold potatoes and a salad of fresh greens tossed with apples, blue cheese, and chopped almonds. Today for lunch I used the leftover lamb to make gyros.

I stuffed the lamb with fresh herbs from the garden; thyme, oregano, rosemary, lavender, and savory. The leg of lamb came wrapped in a net to keep it held together. I removed this net and stuffed the herbs whole in the space where the bone used to be. I put the net back on to keep it held together and keep the herbs in place. I rubbed the outside with some Greek seasoning. I seared the lamb in a hot cast iron skillet for about two minutes on each side.







While the lamb was searing I quickly tossed the whole potatoes and baby carrots in olive oil and salt and pepper. I put these in the roasting pan around the seared lamb.



Once the searing was done and the lamb was out of the skillet, I de glazed the skillet with about a cup or two of red wine, using my coated tongs to scrap up all the cooked on bits. I poured this wine over the roast and covered. I put the roast in a 400 degree preheated oven for about an hour and a half.



Once the roast was done I took it out of the pan and let it rest on a cutting board for about 12 to 15 minutes. I took off the lid and let the vegetable cook uncovered while the lamb rested and was carved. I turned the heat up to 450 degrees to give the vegetables a crispy outside.



Before the vegetable went back in the oven I drained the wine and juices from the pan into the cast iron skillet. While the vegetables roasted and the lamb rested I cooked the sauce down on medium high heat. I added butter at the end to give it a smooth silky texture. I served the sauce over the carved lamb.

To carve the lamb I took off the net and removed the herbs stuffed inside. I found it easier to cut the lamb into three pieces and then carve it.





For the salad I cut up some sweet apples and tossed with fresh mixed greens, blue cheese and the chopped almonds I had left over from the Almond Encrusted Chicken from the other night. I dressed the salad with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.



Today for lunch I shredded the leftover lamb and stuffed it into pita bread to make gyros. I made a quick cucumber sauce. I blended Greek Yogurt and cucumbers in the food processor until smooth, then added garlic and onion powder and salt and pepper and blended until incorporated. I put the sauce over the sandwich, which was also stuffed with tomato and radish. I used radish because they are pretty spicy and I had only a half of a red onion but I am saving it to make more turkey salad.