Cold Roast Lamb With Marinated Eggplant Recipes

BUTTERFLIED LEG OF LAMB WITH FIRE ROASTED EGGPLANT AND GRILLED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Wash the leg of lamb and pat dry. Place in a hotel or lasagna pan.
• In a bowl, combine the remaining ingredients except the salt. Stir until well blended. Pour over the lamb and turn a few times to make sure that the meat is well coated by the marinade. Refrigerate the marinated leg of lamb at least 2 hours, making sure you turn the meat at least once.
• Preheat the grill to medium.
• Season the meat with salt. Transfer to the hot grill and cook for 15 minutes on one side. Turn and continue to cook for another 15 minutes. Move the meat to a colder spot on the grill and cover. Continue to cook to desired doneness; check after meat has cooked for a total of 45 minutes and then again after 1 hour. Time will depend on the thickness of the meat.
• Allow meat to cool for 15 minutes before carving to keep as much of the meat juice. Slice on a bias and serve with fire roasted eggplant and grilled tomatoes.
• Preheat the grill to medium.
• Place the eggplant on the grill for about 30 minutes, turning often. Remove and cool completely.
• Once cool, scrape out the pulp and discard the skins. Reserve.
• Rub the halved tomatoes with olive oil and salt and pepper. Place onto the side of the grill and roast until soft.
• In a large saute pan, over the hot part of the grill, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic, onion, cumin, tomato concasse, sesame seeds, and oregano. Cook until onion is soft. Remove from heat and adjust consistency with water. Add the parsley and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

MAMA'S OH-SO-SAVORY LAMB AND EGGPLANT CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Place eggplant in a colander set in a bowl or the sink; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and toss to coat. Let eggplant stand for at least 1 hour. Rinse off the bitter liquid and excess salt and drain well.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion and celery; cook and stir until onion has softened and turned translucent and celery is fragrant, about 5 minutes.
• While vegetables are cooking, combine ground cumin, oregano, rosemary, paprika, mint, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl or mortar and pestle and mix well; this is the lamb seasoning (see Cook's Note). Set seasoning aside.
• Stir eggplant cubes and garlic into the vegetables in the skillet, mixing well, and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes and sprinkle with half of the lamb seasoning mixture. Reserve remaining seasoning. Stir gently and cook for 5 minutes more.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 2-quart casserole dish.
• Pour chicken broth and half the can of tomato sauce into the skillet and simmer for 10 minutes; add a little water if the sauce starts to get dry. Transfer the sauce to the prepared casserole dish.
• Return the skillet to the stove over medium-high heat and heat the reserved tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Place ground lamb into skillet and sprinkle with remaining seasoning mixture. Brown lamb in the hot oil, stirring frequently, until the meat is evenly browned; it should look like imperfect meatballs.
• Gently transfer the lamb to the casserole dish, pushing it down into the vegetable mixture so that it is at least partially submerged. Stir fresh lemon juice into the remaining tomato sauce and pour the sauce over the casserole.
• Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending upon how tender you like your vegetables.

CHARRED LAMB AND EGGPLANT WITH DATE-YOGURT CHUTNEY

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice and garlic. Whisk in 5 tablespoons of the oil.
• Season the meat with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and transfer to a large, nonreactive bowl. Pour half the yogurt mixture over the meat and toss well. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.
• Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Toss the eggplant with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast, tossing occasionally, until eggplant is golden brown and tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Scrape into a bowl. Whisk the dates and cilantro into the remaining yogurt mixture and toss with the warm eggplant.
• Adjust the oven to broil, with a rack 2 inches from the heat. Remove meat from marinade, wiping off any excess, and transfer to a large baking sheet. Drizzle lamb with a little oil. Broil until golden and cooked to desired doneness, about 4 minutes for medium rare. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes.
• In a small skillet over medium-high heat, toast almonds, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes.
• Divide meat among serving plates and spoon eggplant next to the meat. Garnish with almonds and mint.

ROAST LEG OF LAMB WITH ANCHOVY, GARLIC AND ROSEMARY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. With a small, sharp knife, make 12 incisions 2 inches deep into the fleshy side of the leg. Insert a piece of garlic, half an anchovy and a small sprig of rosemary into each incision. Push them in with your little finger.
• Cream the butter with the remaining anchovies and smear it all over the meat. Sprinkle the meat generously with black pepper, place in a roasting pan and pour the wine around it. Tuck in any leftover sprigs of rosemary and pour the lemon juice over the meat.
• Roast in the oven for 15 minutes; lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and roast for 1 hour more, basting from time to time with the juices. (Cook slightly longer, depending on how well done you like your meat.) Let rest in a warm place for at least 15 minutes before carving.
• Meanwhile, taste the juices, adding salt as needed. (It should not need much because of the anchovies.) If the gravy is too thin, simmer it in a skillet to thicken. If you choose, garnish the slices of lamb with sprigs of watercress. Serve with gravy and mashed potatoes or creamed eggplant.

LEG OF ROASTED LAMB ON POTATO, EGGPLANT, AND TOMATO TIAN

Steps:

• Toss half of tomato slices with onions, eggplant, garlic, oregano, potatoes, salt, and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Transfer to an oiled shallow 3-quart casserole, spreading evenly. Arrange remaining tomato slices on top. Roast, uncovered, in middle of oven 30 minutes.
• Prepare lamb:
• Trim lamb of all but a 1/4-inch layer of fat. Cut small slits all over lamb with a sharp small knife and put a slice of garlic into each slit. Rub lamb with some lemon juice and season with oregano, salt, and pepper.
• After tian has been roasting 30 minutes, put lamb on top of vegetables. Roast in middle of oven 30 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350°F.
• Continue roasting, basting meat with cooking juices (baste with remaining lemon juice during last 30 minutes of roasting) until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat (do not touch bone) registers 135°F for medium-rare, about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer meat to a cutting board, cover tian with foil, and let meat stand 15 minutes before carving. Spoon off any excess fat from tian and discard. Serve tian with lamb.