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Butterflied Leg of Lamb with Cranberry-Pecan Stuffing
This succulent roast of lamb is the perfect focus for any festive table.
| 1 |
New Zealand Spring Lamb Butterflied Leg defrosted (about 3-1/2 lb/1.75 kg) |
1 |
| 1 tbsp |
Vegetable Oil |
15 ml |
| 1/2 cup |
Red Wine or Port |
125 ml |
| 1 cup |
Fresh or Frozen Cranberries |
250 ml |
| 1/4 cup |
Water |
50 ml |
| 2 tbsp |
Granulated Sugar |
30 ml |
| 2 tsp |
Grated Orange Rind |
10 ml |
| 2 tbsp |
Butter |
30 ml |
| 1 |
Onion, chopped |
1 |
| 1 |
Clove Garlic, minced |
1 |
| 2 cups |
Fresh Bread Crumbs |
500 ml |
| 1/4 cup |
Chopped Parsley |
50 ml |
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| Crumbled Dried Thyme |
5 ml |
| 1/2 tsp |
Crumbled Dried Savory |
2 ml |
| 1/3 cup |
Coarsely Chopped Pecans |
75 ml |
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Salt and Pepper |
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In small saucepan, stir together cranberries, water and sugar. Bring to boil and cook uncovered, over high heat until cranberries burst and thicken, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in orange rind.
Meanwhile, in small skillet, melt butter; cook onion and garlic over medium heat, stirring often, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add to cranberries with bread crumbs, parsley, thyme, savory, pecans and salt and pepper to taste. Blend well to moisten bread crumbs.
Pat lamb dry and place on counter with fell (thin outer parchment) side down. Slash meat in several places where it's thickest. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread evenly with stuffing, leav-ing a small border all around outside. Fold one "butterfly" half of the lamb over the other to enclose the stuffing, pushing stuffing in at seams. Tie with sturdy string at 2" (5 cm) intervals around the roast. Tie once or twice from end to end. Place on rack in shallow roasting pan and smear top with oil.
Roast, uncovered, in preheated 450°F (230°C) oven for 10 min-utes; then reduce heat to 325°F (160°C) and continue roasting about another hour and 10 minutes for rare meat, or until the internal temperature is 130°F (54°C) to 140°F (60°C). The internal temperature for medium is 150°F (65°C). The flavour is better if roasted rare.
Remove lamb from pan and let rest, covered loosely with foil, about 10 minutes before carving.
Skim any fat from pan juices, pour wine or port into pan and bring to boil on top of stove, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of pan. Boil until desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Remove string from lamb, slice into rounds and arrange on heated platter. Spoon sauce over top and serve.
Yield: about 8 servings
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