Leg Of Lamb Basque Style Recipes

BASQUE LAMB STEW

Steps:

• Marinate lamb with garlic, rosemary, white wine: Combine the lamb, half of the garlic cloves, rosemary, and white wine in a medium bowl. Let marinate for 2 to 3 hours. Drain the meat, discard the marinade, and pat dry with paper towels. Mince the remaining garlic cloves and set aside.
• Brown the lamb: Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan with lid, over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the meat on all sides, about 10 minutes per batch. Salt the meat as it browns.
• Sauté onions and garlic: Remove the meat from the pan and add the chopped onion to the pan. Cook, scraping browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon, until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
• Return meat to pan, add paprika, roasted peppers, tomatoes, parsley, bay leaf, red wine, bring to simmer: Return the meat to the pan with the onions and garlic. Stir in paprika, roasted peppers, tomatoes, parsley, bay leaf, and red wine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, allowing the liquids to reduce a bit.
• Add chicken stock, simmer: Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until meat is very tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Add freshly ground black pepper and more salt to taste. Serve with rustic bread. If you want, try garnishing with fresh mint leaves (though I have no idea how "Basque" that is, it just tastes good.) Links: Basque Chicken - from Not Quite Nigella Chilindron, Spanish Venison Stew with Paprika - from Hunter Angler Gardener Cook

PERFECT ROASTED LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• Bring the leg of lamb to room temp. Take the leg of lamb out of the refrigerator and leave in room temperature for about 1 hour. In the meantime, prepare the remaining ingredients and make the lamb rub.
• Prepare the seasoning. To make the rub or seasoning, in a food processor, combine the rub ingredients. Blend until smooth. Set aside (or in the fridge, if preparing in advance).
• Salt the meat. When ready, pat the lamb dry and make a few slits on both sides. Season with salt and pepper.
• Sear the Lamb. Turn the oven on broil. Place the leg of lamb on a wire rack and put it directly on the top rack so that it's only a few inches away from the broiler element. Broil for 5-7 minutes on each side or until the leg of lamb is nicely seared. Remove from the oven, then adjust the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
• Apply the seasoning or rub. When the lamb is cool enough to handle, insert the garlic slices in the slits you made earlier. Now cover the leg of lamb on all sides with the wet rub and place it in the middle of a roasting pan with an inside rack. Add two cups of water to the bottom of the roasting pan.

ROASTED YOUNG SPRING LEG OF LAMB SPANISH STYLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Clean lamb of any excess fat around the thick and meaty portion of the leg. In a bowl, combine salt, pepper, paprika, garlic, parsley, thyme, oregano and oil. Rub the lamb thoroughly with salt mixture. Place cut vegetables in a large turkey roaster. Rest the lamb on top of vegetables. Place the leg of lamb in the oven and roast until internal temperature, at thickest portion of lamb, registers 135 degrees on a meat thermometer, about 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Remove lamb from oven and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving. Discard vegetables. Serve with White Beans and Saffron recipe (recipe follows).
• Drain soaked beans. Place in a large pot with fresh water, bring to a boil, and reduce heat. Simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours with bay leaves. Add 1 teaspoon salt after simmering for 1 hour. In a saute pan over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add onions and saute until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add parsley and saffron, allow to cook for 1 minute more, and remove from heat. Drain the cooked beans of excess water. Return the beans to the pot and add cooked onion mixture. Combine and reheat. Check seasoning and serve.

ROAST LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Cut slits in the top of the leg of lamb every 3 to 4 inches, deep enough to push slices of garlic down into the meat. Salt and pepper generously all over the top of lamb, place several sprigs of fresh rosemary under and on top of the lamb. Place lamb on roasting pan.
• Roast in preheated oven until the lamb is cooked to your desired doneness, about 1 3/4 to 2 hours. Do not overcook the lamb, the flavor is best if meat is still slightly pink. Let rest at least 10 minutes before carving.

EASY ROAST LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Remove all packaging from the lamb and keep a note of the weight to calculate the roasting time. Make incisions into the lamb using a small sharp knife, at an angle, about 5cm into the meat. Making the holes at an angle will mean more of the meat is flavoured, and the flavourings will be less tempted to be pushed out when roasting.
• Insert a short sprig of rosemary, a garlic slice and a small piece of anchovy (if using) into each of the holes, pressing in well with your finger. Season the meat all over with salt and pepper, then rub the lamb all over with the olive oil. Transfer to a roasting tin, sat on the onion slices. Roast for 20 mins.
• Lower the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5 and cook for another 15-20 mins per 500g (1 hr - 1 hr 20 mins for 2kg leg) depending on how pink you like your lamb. You can also check the internal temperature of the lamb if you prefer pinker meat - it will be 55C for medium (pink) and 70C for well done.
• Cover with foil and rest for 15 mins before carving. Save the tray juices and onion slices to make gravy.

LEG OF LAMB, BASQUE-STYLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Make slits all over lamb plentiful and deep enough to insert garlic clove slices then insert them. Season entire leg with salt and pepper, and rub with flour. Place in roasting pan and pour over melted bacon drippings. Roast in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes on each side. Add water to pan, cover, reduce heat to 300°F, and cook slowly for 4-5 hours. Roast will be well done.
• The Basque often add peeled, quartered potatoes during the last 45 minutes of cooking.