Leg of lamb

I don't like lamb.

Well, maybe lamb chop, almost cremated and drowned in mint sauce. Otherwise, I find it fatty, goes cold quick, and isn't all that tasty.

Anyway, long story but we ended up with half a dozen (yes, half a bloomin' dozen!) legs of lamb in the freezer and we need to start getting through them.

I cooked one a wee while back, and did it slowly, sat on top of a load of rough chopped veg, herbs and a bit of water in the bottom of the tray. Covered with foil, in the oven for around 6 hours. Fatty as hell. And it goes cold SO fast, which makes it worse. Even worse still, there was so much meat on the thing that we ended up trying to do something with the leftovers for the next two days (I'm surprised I didn't fade away by the end of it...... did I mention, I don't like lamb? )

Tomorrow, I have to cook one of the infernal things, so this time I am thinking that hard and hot might be the best way to go? Maybe on a trivet of veg, just to hold it up to let the fat drain out? And I am thinking that I am looking for a texture similar to a dehydrated armadillo - nice and crunchy on the outside, and dry but bearable on the inside............

Help me folks, and save me from two days of sneaky chips in the canteen at work?

 

I don't like mustard either........ garlic, yes. I like your thinking @Selleri - however, I have a feeling that I might meet some resistance from others in the house.

 

@Fat Controller

Easily solved . This recipe will have virtually no lamb fat, which is replaced with olive oil.


SHINEY'S MORROCAN STYLE MARINATED LAMB

1 large leg of lamb ( remove skin and fat to allow marinade to penetrate better )
1 Tbs. cumin seed
1 Tbs. coriander seed
½ Tbs. black peppercorns
3 Tbs. olive oil
4 garlic cloves - crushed
2" fresh ginger - grated
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. brown sugar (optional, I don’t use it)
2 Tbs. cold water
1½ Tbs. paprika

Dry roast the cumin and coriander in a pre-heated frying pan. ( Don’t over roast them - they are done when the cumin starts jumping and spitting – or burning if you leave it too long.) Grind the spices and black pepper in a coffee grinder or with mortar and pestle.

Put oil in a bowl then add garlic, ginger, salt and sugar and mix. Add ground spices and pepper and mix. Add water and paprika and mix. This will become a thick paste so that it should not slide off the joint. If the paste is too thin, add more paprika. If too thick add more water.

Make small cuts in the lamb then coat the joint with the paste. Marinate for as long as possible ( 4 hours is o.k., 24 hours is good and 48 hours is best - if leaving for more than 4 hours cover the dish very well with foil and put in fridge ). Turn the joint over at least once during the marinating time.

One nice variation is to add 1- 1½ ozs of ground almonds to the marinade.

Roast in the normal way but it is best to keep the lamb covered with the foil during cooking and uncover for the last 15 minutes. If having roast potatoes as well – keep dish covered until potatoes need to go in then remove foil from the dish and just wrap it over the top of the joint. I usually cook it on Gas Mark 5, 190C.

The lamb will carve better if you let it stand for at least ten minutes - carve the slices fairly thickly.

Serving suggestions:-
with roast potatoes ( roasted with the lamb )
with lightly flavoured rice ( add a few raisins - optional )
selection of your favourite vegetables
salads:- olive and orange salad with spring onions
avocado and fennel with an orange juice flavoured dressing
mixed green - with lettuce, cucumber, fennel, celery and green apple

 

Nope! It doesn't go all that well with ginger, cumin and coriander as it doesn't blend in with them.

 

If you're cooking things such as curries then the cinnamon goes OK but you're also, than, using onion which smooths the flavourings together. In places such as Morocco they would omit cinnamon from the flavouring of the meat and use it a sweet accompaniment such as couscous.



The lamb would be carved and presented on one plate and the couscous (normally used instead of rice) would be dressed with raisins, powdered cinnamon and a dish of sugar on top. That's much too sweet for me! I like mine with plain or spiced couscous.