Lamb With A Dukkah Crust And Herb And Cucumber Relish Recipes

DUKKAH-CRUSTED LAMB CHOPS WITH POMEGRANATE MOLASSES

Steps:

• Place first 6 ingredients in food processor. Using on/off turns, blend until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Transfer dukkah to shallow bowl; set aside. DO AHEAD: Dukkah can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover tightly and let stand at room temperature.
• Whisk pomegranate molasses and honey in small bowl; set aside.
• Season lamb chops with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of lamb chops to pan. Cook to desired doneness, about 2 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer lamb chops to plate; tent with foil to keep warm. Repeat with remaining chops. Holding each chop by bone end, dip both sides of meat in dukkah to coat and transfer to platter. Drizzle honey mixture over chops and serve.
• * A thick pomegranate syrup; available at some supermarkets and at Middle Eastern markets and from adrianascaravan.com.

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.

HERB-CRUSTED LEG OF LAMB WITH RED WINE GRAVY

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Use a sharp knife to make little slits all over the lamb, then insert a slice of garlic into each hole. Tip the onions and carrot into a large flameproof roasting tin, then place the lamb on top and season. Pour 250ml water into the base of the tin and roast in the oven for 30 mins.
• Meanwhile, make the crust by mixing together all the ingredients and seasoning well. Remove the lamb from the oven and turn the heat down to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Brush the lamb all over with the mustard, then pack on the crust in a thick layer - don't worry if any falls in the tin, this will be used in the gravy later (you probably won't use the entire crust, so set aside what's left for later). Return the lamb to the oven and cook for a further 1 hr 30 mins. Check the lamb during cooking and add more water to the base of the tin if it dries out.
• Remove the lamb from the tin, cover lightly with foil and leave to rest for 30-40 mins - if covered too tightly, the crust will go soggy.
• To make the gravy, put the roasting tin with the vegetables still in it directly on the heat and whisk in the flour. Cook for 1 min, then add the wine, scraping any flour from the bottom of the tin. Let it bubble for 1 min, then pour in the stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 10-15 mins until thickened, stirring in a little of the reserved crust for a thicker gravy. Strain the gravy through a sieve into a pan, discarding the vegetables left in the sieve. Add mustard to taste and stir through the butter. Keep warm until ready to serve.

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.

LAMB CUTLETS WITH HERB RELISH

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Put the almonds and garlic in a food processor and process to a rough paste. Brush the fat side of the racks with a little mustard, then press the almond crust onto it. Roast for 30-40 mins until the lamb is browned on the outside and pink inside. Leave to cool, then wrap in foil and chill for up to 24 hrs.
• Put all the herb relish ingredients in the food processor and process to a rough paste. Pour into a small bowl. When ready to serve, cut the lamb between the bones into little cutlets and arrange over a platter. Spoon a little herb relish onto each or serve separately in a small bowl.