Grilled Herb Encrusted Leg Of Lamb With Fresh Mint Sauce Recipes

HERB-CRUSTED LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• Let lamb stand at room temperature for one hour. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Remove all but a thin layer of fat from the lamb. Rub lamb with 1 tablespoon oil; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place on a rack in a heavy roasting pan.
• Meanwhile, rub head of garlic with 1/4 teaspoon oil; wrap loosely in foil. Bake until garlic is very soft, about 1 hour. Let cool.
• Cut off top of garlic head; squeeze roasted garlic into a bowl. Using a fork, mash garlic to a paste. Add extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, parsley, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; mix well.
• Rotate pan after lamb has roasted 1 1/4 hours. After 30 minutes more, slather lamb with roasted-garlic paste. Roast an additional hour (for a total roasting time of about 2 3/4 hours), or until an instant-read thermometer inserted at the thickest part reads 160 degrees. Remove from oven, and let rest 20 minutes.
• Transfer lamb to a carving board. Pour off fat from roasting pan; place over medium-high heat. Sprinkle with flour, and stir with a wooden spoon. Pour in brandy; scrape up brown bits from bottom of pan. Lower heat to medium; let liquid reduce by half. Add stock, stirring until incorporated. Add rosemary and salt and pepper to taste.
• Slice lamb; serve with sauce on the side.

MINT CRUSTED RACK OF LAMB

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Line a baking sheet with foil.
• Cook mint leaves in a pot of boiling water for about 10 seconds.
• Transfer mint leaves to a bowl of ice water; soak for 30 seconds, drain and squeeze dry.
• Combine blanched mint with garlic, olive oil, bread crumbs, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a food processor or blender. Blend for 20 to 30 seconds until fine and crumbly.
• Transfer mint mixture to a large bowl; stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, set aside.
• Combine 1/4 cup Dijon mustard and 2 teaspoons honey in a small bowl, set aside.
• Combine extra-virgin olive oil, rice vinegar, 2 teaspoons honey, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper in a jar with a lid. Shake vinaigrette vigorously until combined, about 30 seconds. Set vinaigrette aside.
• Slice 1/2 to 1-inch slits between each bone of the lamb racks to assure the meat roasts evenly.
• Season each rack with salt and black pepper on all sides.
• Heat vegetable oil in skillet over high heat. Brown each lamb rack for 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
• Transfer lamb racks to the foil-lined baking sheet.
• Brush each rack with mustard and honey mixture. Sprinkle mint mixture over the top and sides of each rack.
• Bake in the preheated oven until browned on top and medium rare in the center, about 20 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 125 to 130 degrees F (52 to 54 degrees C). Remove from oven and allow lamb to rest for 10 minutes before serving, drizzled with honey mustard vinaigrette.

GRILLED HERB-ENCRUSTED LEG OF LAMB WITH FRESH MINT SAUCE

Steps:

• At least 1 day ahead, marinate the lamb: Set the lamb flat on a large cutting board. Trim any excess fat and open like a book to make an even thickness all around. Lay a piece of plastic wrap on top of the lamb; pound to flatten slightly to make a more even thickness. Cut the meat into 2 or 3 more manageable pieces. Sprinkle all over with 1 T. of the salt and 1 t. of the pepper.
• In a small bowl, mix the mustard, garlic, thyme, rosemary and the remaining 1 T. of the salt and 1 t. pepper. Spread all over the lamb, transfer to a large nonreactive dish, cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to 2 days.
• Just before grilling, make the sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk 1/4 cup water with the sugar, salt and pepper - they don't have to dissolve completely. Stir in the mint, vinegar and oil. Let sit while the lamb grills. Taste and season with more sugar, salt and pepper if needed (the sauce should have a sharp, acidic tang to complement the rich lamb).
• Grill the lamb: Heat a gas grill to medium high or prepare a charcoal fire with hot and medium-hot areas. Put the lamb on the grill (on the hotter part if using a charcoal fire) and cook (covered if on a gas grill) without disturbing it until it's nicely browned, about 6-8 minutes. Flip, reduce the heat on the gas grill to medium (or move to the cooler part of the charcoal fire), and cook until and instant-read thermometer inserted into a thicker part of the lamb registers 130 degrees F for med-rare, 5-8 more minutes.
• Tranfer the lamb to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice thinly across the grain and serve with the mint sauce.

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.

CHEF JOHN'S GRILLED LAMB WITH MINT ORANGE SAUCE

Steps:

• Place lamb chops in a large bowl. Season with olive oil, garlic, cumin, mixed herbs, pepper, coriander, cinnamon, cayenne, and salt. Toss until well coated with oil and seasonings. Cover and refrigerate. Allow to marinate at least 4 hours.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil the grate. Place lamb chops on grill. Sprinkle the chops with a bit of salt. Grill until seared on the first side, 4 to 7 minutes depending on the size of the chops. Rotate chops a half turn on the grill about a minute before turning them. Turn and grill the other side to desired doneness, another 4 to 7 minutes. For medium rare, an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should bead 125 to 130 degrees F (54 degrees C). Transfer to a serving dish and tent loosely with foil.
• Place marmalade in bowl. Add chili flakes, mint, and rice vinegar. Stir together thoroughly.
• Brush the sauce over the chops and serve.

HERB-CRUSTED GRILLED LAMB WITH APRICOT RELISH

Steps:

• Prepare lamb:
• Stir together herbs, salt, pepper, garlic, and oil, then rub all over lamb.
• Make relish:
• Stir together all relish ingredients and season with pepper.
• To cook lamb using a charcoal grill:
• Open vents on bottom of grill. Light charcoal (80 to 100 briquettes) in chimney starter. Leaving about one quarter of grill free of charcoal, bank lit charcoal across rest of grill so that coals are about three times higher on opposite side.
• Charcoal fire is medium-hot when you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack over area where coals are piled highest for 3 to 4 seconds. Sear lamb on lightly oiled grill rack directly over hottest part of coals, uncovered, turning over once and, if necessary, moving around grill to avoid flare-ups, until well browned, 8 to 10 minutes total. Move lamb to coolest part of grill, then cover with inverted roasting pan and grill, turning over once, until thermometer inserted diagonally into center registers 135°F for medium-rare, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer lamb to a cutting board and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 15 minutes.
• To cook lamb using a gas grill:
• Preheat all burners on high, covered, 10 minutes. Sear lamb on lightly oiled grill rack, covered with lid, turning over once, until well browned, 8 to 10 minutes total. Turn off 1 burner (middle burner if there are 3) and put lamb above shut-off burner. Reduce heat on remaining burner(s) to moderate and grill lamb, covered with lid, until thermometer inserted diagonally into center registers 135°F for medium-rare, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer lamb to a cutting board and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 15 minutes.
• Serve lamb:
• Thinly slice lamb across the grain and serve with relish.

HERB-CRUSTED RACK OF LAMB

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top.
• Combine bread crumbs, parsley, 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic, mint, rosemary, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and lemon zest in the bowl of a food processor. Process until well combined, about 45 seconds. Transfer to a shallow dish and set aside.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high. Pat lamb dry with paper towels. Season with black pepper and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add lamb to skillet and cook until browned on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes total.
• Brush the lamb with mustard, then dip and roll into prepared bread crumb mixture to coat, pressing gently to adhere. Place lamb on the prepared rack, meat side up, with the bones pointed towards the middle of the rack.
• Roast in the preheated oven until an instant-read thermometer registers 125 degrees F (52 degrees C) for medium-rare, about 20 minutes, or to desired degree of doneness. Tent loosely with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing in between the bones. Serve immediately.

LEG OF LAMB WITH MINT SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with rack in lower third. Rub lamb with a generous amount of salt and pepper, then rub with oil. With the tip of a sharp paring knife, cut twenty 1/2-inch-deep slits all over lamb; insert garlic slivers into openings.
• Place lamb on a roasting rack set on a rimmed baking sheet; place in oven. Immediately reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Roast lamb until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part (avoiding bone) registers 125 degrees to 135 degrees for rare, or 135 degrees to 140 degrees for medium, 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 hours. Remove from oven; let rest 10 to 15 minutes before carving.
• Meanwhile, make the mint sauce: In a small saucepan, bring vinegar, sugar, and water to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer until liquid is syrupy and reduced to 1 cup, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in mint, and let cool completely.