Leg of lamb

While my friend Tina was here last weekend, we made sure to eat all the things she likes and her hubby and daughter don´t care for that much like sushi and lamb (guess I´ve mentioned that before ;-) ). We decided on a nice leg of lamb since we both thought that lamb chops should definitely be prepared on a charcoal grill - ours is laying under quite a thick layer of snow right now - and lamb tenderloin has such a subtle flavour, we wanted something more hearty.

We prepared it with lots of garlic and fresh herbs and served it with green beans and a potato gratin. It was so good - although it was served at around 10:30 pm (somehow we forgot the time...)

click here for a printable recipe

Serves 4-6

1           Leg of lamb, 2 kg
8           garlic cloves
2 tsp      herbes de provence
5 tbsp    olive oil
3 twigs    fresh rosemary
3 twigs   fresh thyme
             freshly ground black pepper
             sea salt

2           large tomatoes
3           large carrots
3           onions

1 cup    redwine
50 g      ice cold butter, cut in small dice

Take your leg of lamb out of the fridge about 2 hours before preparing so it can take room temperature. Trimm off all the excess fat. Mince two garlic cloves, chop the leaves of 1 rosemary and thyme twig and mix with 2 tbsp olive oil, herbes de provence, freshly ground black pepper and sea salt. Massage this thoroughly into the meat.

Peel and cut the onions into wedges. Peel the carrots and cut in half and then in app. 4 cm long pieces. Cut the tomatoes in quarters.

Preheat your oven to 160° C/ 320°F.

Heat a large roasting pan on high heat and add two tablespoons of olive oil. Fry the leg of lamb from all sides until a nice crust has formed. Take out of the roasting pan, add the carrots, remaining garlic cloves and onions and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, fresh herbs, leg of lamb and redwine. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and set in the oven for 1 1/2 hours, basting with the liquid once in a while.

Turn off the oven. Place the vegetables and the leg of lamb on a platter in the oven for about 15 minutes.
Pour the cooking juices into a sauce pan and let reduce a couple of minutes.

Mount with the cold butter and season with salt and pepper.

Serve the Lamb, cut in slices from the bone, with the sauce and vegetables and maybe a potato gratin (recipe will follow) and green beans like we had it.

Italian Lamb ragout

Okay, this is my very first entry in my newly established food blog. It´s quite exciting for me. Before yesterday I never even read any blogs not to mention I had no idea how to set one up... Well, I´m trying and I must say it´s fun so far. Since I´m not the greatest writer I don´t know yet how this will go on. Time will tell :-).

So, the following recipe I tried out today and it turned out to be really delicious.

click HERE for a printable recipe

You will need for 4:

400 g lamb, cut in dice

1        chili

500 g tomatoes

1        bunch basil

80 g   cashews
1        lemon

1        bunch fresh onions (or 2 red onions)

         Olive oil
         Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Chop the chili pepper finely with or without the seeds (depending how hot you like it to be). Mix the meat in a bowl with the chili and some salt.

Wash the tomatoes and dice them (if you prefer you can peel them before but it´s not really necessary). Cut the onions into thin slices. Chop the basil and roast the cashews in a dry pan until golden brown.

Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add some olive oil. When hot add the meat and brown it on all sides. Add the tomatoes and let cook on medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add the basil and take off the heat.

Fold in the onion, cashews and the lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.

This dish goes really well with pasta or rice and a fresh green salad. Enjoy!