Lamb Shoulder Roast With Spinach Pine Nuts Recipes

LAMB SHOULDER ROAST IN THE OVEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven at 190°C / 375°F Gas Mark 5 for at least 20 minutes.
• Marinade - In a bowl, combine the spices (paprika, cumin, coriander) along with salt, pepper, garlic, and ginger. Set aside.Pro tip - The spice rub is not wet but almost dry and that is what we want. This way it will stick to the lamb all through the cooking time.
• Lamb - Trim excess fat off the lamb and pat dry on all sides.Pro tip - If the lamb is wet the marinade will slide off the meat as soon as it starts cooking. So, if the meat was frozen, ensure that it is thawed at least an hour before marinating.
• Generously rub the spice marinade all over the lamb making sure to rub the sides as well. Pro tip - You can leave this lamb to marinate in the fridge for up to 12 hours or on the counter for an hour. But, it is not necessary.
• Place the lamb in a roasting pan on the roasting rack. Generously brush with the olive oil.Pro tip - If using a thermometer, like me, add it in the center in the thickest part of the meat.
• Add one cup of water to the roasting pan to prevent the fat drippings from the lamb from smoking in the oven. Pro tip - If you find the water has evaporated and the fat is smoking, feel free to add another cup of water during the roasting time.
• Roast for about 70 to 80 minutes or until the desired doneness. Mine took about 70 minutes.- Medium rare - between 130 F to 135 F, approximately 20 minutes per pound - Medium - between 135 F to 140 F, approximately 22 to 23 minutes per pound - Medium well - between 145 F to 150 F, approximately 25 minutes per pound.- Well Done is between 155 to 165 F, or approximately 30 minutes per pound.
• When it reaches desired doneness, remove it from the oven. Move the lamb to a serving platter and cover with aluminum foil. Let it rest for at least 20 minutes to help the juices settle.
• Place the roasting rack on medium-low heat with 1/2 cup water. Add the broth and use a flat spatula to deglaze the pan scraping as much as you can, but avoid the burnt parts.
• Then, add the flour and stir well bringing it to a boil on medium-high heat. Continue to cook until it thickens. If necessary add a few tablespoons of water or broth as necessary.
• Then, pour into a sauceboat to serve with the lamb over mashed potatoes, lemon rosemary roast potatoes, lemon dill potatoes, potato wedges and side salad like avocado, tomato, beet

LAMB SHOULDER ROAST WITH SPINACH & PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Clean spinach by discarding roots, coarse stems, and yellowed leaves. Wash well. Stack leaves, then cut crosswise into about ½-inch-wide slivers. Set aside.
• In a 5- to 6-quart pan over medium heat, combine oil and nuts; stir often until nuts are golden, about 6 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to a plate and set aside. Add onion to pan; cook, stirring often, until limp but not browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and spinach. Stir just until spinach is limp, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in crumbs and nuts.
• Trim fat from lamb. Lay meat flat, boned side up, and cover with plastic wrap. Using a flat mallet, pound meat gently and firmly to flatten evenly. Spread spinach mixture over the meat, leaving about a 1 ½-inch margin on all sides. Starting from the most irregular long side, roll meat up snugly. Use string to tie snugly at about 1 ½-inch intervals.
• Arrange meat, fat side up, on a rack in a 12- by 15-inch roasting pan. Sprinkle generously with pepper. Insert a meat thermometer in center. Roast, uncovered, in a 350°F oven until thermometer registers 145°F for medium-rare, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Slice roast ½ inch thick. Add salt to taste.

STUFFED LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• Remove plastic netting or twine from around the leg of lamb, if any, and open up the roast on a cutting board. Place the boned side of the roast up. With a sharp paring knife, cut away any excess fatty areas. Use a sharp knife to cut 1/2-inch deep slits in the meat about 2 inches apart, to help the meat lie flat. Cover the meat with a sturdy piece of plastic wrap or a cut-apart food storage bag, and pound the meat with a mallet or the edge of a small plate until the roast is about 3/4 inch thick everywhere, and 10 to 14 inches square.
• Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Sprinkle the upper side of the meat with salt and pepper, and then spread spinach leaves over the top of the roast to within 1/2 inch of the edges. Break up the goat cheese and sprinkle it evenly over the spinach, then sprinkle the pine nuts over the cheese.
• Roll the roast up into a tight cylinder, and tie the roast together with kitchen twine at 2 inch intervals. It's okay if a little stuffing protrudes from the sides of the roast.
• In a flat dish, mix together the flour, 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of pepper, the thyme, and the fennel seeds, and press the tied roast firmly into the flour mixture to coat all sides.
• Heat the sesame oil in a heavy oven-proof or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers, and sear all sides of the roast, including the ends, to a golden brown color. Lay the roast into the skillet, place into the preheated oven, and roast to your desired degree of doneness, or an internal temperature of 145 degrees F (65 degrees C) for medium, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, cover with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

RACK OF LAMB WITH SPINACH PINE-NUT CRUST AND MINTED PEA SAUCE

Steps:

• Make crust mixture:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. In a baking pan toast pine nuts in middle of oven until golden, about 10 minutes, and cool.
• Discard stems from spinach and coarsely chop spinach. Rinse spinach and drain in a colander. In a large heavy kettle cook spinach in water clinging to leaves, covered, 1 minute, or until just wilted. Drain spinach well in colander, pressing out excess liquid with back of a large spoon, and cool. Tear ham into pieces. In a food processor pulse spinach with nuts, parsley, ham, and butter until finely chopped and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in remaining crust ingredients until combined well. Crust mixture may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
• Increase temperature to 425°F. If leaving strip of fat on racks, score a diamond pattern on fat with tip of a sharp thin knife. Halve lamb racks to form six 4-rib pieces. Pat lamb dry and season with salt and pepper.
• In a large heavy skillet heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and lightly brown pieces 2 at a time, on all sides, about 1 minute total for each batch. Transfer pieces as browned to a large shallow roasting pan and arrange meaty sides up. Spread meaty side of each piece with 1 teaspoon mustard. Divide crust mixture into 6 portions and pat over mustard coating on each piece, gently pressing to help adhere.
• Roast lamb in middle of oven 25 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted 2 inches into center registers 135°F. for medium-rare. Transfer lamb to a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes.
• Cut lamb into individual chops and serve with sauce.

LAMB WITH HERB PASTE AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425º. Remove as much of the surface fat as is practical from the lamb. Combine the parsley, dill, oil, anchovies and garlic in a food processor (if you're not using the anchovies, add some salt). Purée, adding a little water if necessary. Rub the lamb with this mixture.
• Put the lamb on a rack in a roasting pan with about 1/2 cup of water. Roast for 30 minutes, then check; if the lamb threatens to burn, turn the heat down to 350º; otherwise leave it at 425º. If the bottom dries out (the rendering lamb fat should keep it moist), add a little more water. After about 1 hour (total), check the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer. When it reaches 130 for medium rare (125 for very rare) in its thickest part (check it in several places), it's done. Total cooking time will be less than 1 1/2 hours. Remove and let it rest.
• Pour off and reserve all but 2 tablespoons of the fat and put the pan over a burner (or two, if it fits better). Toast the bread crumbs over low heat, stirring and seasoning with salt and pepper until they're lightly browned. Remove; add another couple of tablespoons of the fat to the pan. Add the pine nuts, raisins and spinach and cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until the spinach is very tender and most of the liquid has evaporated. Carve the lamb and serve it on a bed of spinach, sprinkled with the bread crumbs.