From Cooks Illustrated March 2013

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Name: Roast Butterflied Leg of Lamb
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 6 - 8 pound leg of lamb butterflied; kosher salt; 1/3 cup vegetable oil; 3 shallots sliced thinly; 4 cloves garlic peeled and smashed; 1 1 inch piece ginger 1/2 inch rounds, then smashed; 1 tablespoon coriander seeds; 1 tablespoon cumin seeds; 1 tablespoon mustard seeds; 3 bay leaves; 2 2 inch strips lemon zest; 1/3 cup fresh mint chopped; 1/3 cup fresh cilantro chopped; 1 shallot minced; 2 tablespoons lemon juice; salt and pepper

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INGREDIENTS

LAMB
1 6 - 8 pound leg of lamb ; butterflied
kosher salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 shallots ; sliced thinly
4 cloves garlic ; peeled and smashed
1 1 inch piece ginger ; 1/2 inch rounds, then smashed
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
3 bay leaves
2 2 inch strips lemon zest
SAUCE
1/3 cup fresh mint ; chopped
1/3 cup fresh cilantro ; chopped
1 shallot ; minced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
salt and pepper

Servings

INSTRUCTIONS

2- Adjust oven racks 4 - 5 inches from broiler element and and heat oven to 250 degrees. Stir together oil, shallots, ginger, garlic, coriander, cumin and mustard seeds, bay leaves, and lemon zest. Bake on lower middle rack until spices are softened and shalllots and garlic are golden (about 1 hour). Remove from oven and discard bay leaves.

3- Pat lamb dry with paper towels and transfer fat side up to sheet, directly on top of spices. Roast on lower middle rack until lamb registers 120 degrees, 30 -40 minutes. Remove sheet pan from oven and heat broiler. Broil lamb on upper rack until surface is well browned and charred in spots and lamb registers 125 degrees, 3 - 8 minutes for medium rare.

4- Remove sheet from oven and, using 2 pairs of tongs, transfer lamb to carving board . Tent loosely with aluminum foil and rest for 20 minutes.

5- Prepare sauce. Pour pan juices through a fine strainer into a medium bowl. pressing on solids to extract liquid. Stir in mint, cilantro, shallot and lemon juice. Add accumulated lamb juices to sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste

6- With long side facing you, slice lamb with grain into 3 equal pieces. Turn each piece and slice across the grain into 1/4 inch slices. Serve with sauce (briefly microwave if needed.)

Another spice combo. Omit cumin and mustard seeds. Toss 6 sprigs fresh rosemary and 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes with oil mixture in step 2. Sub parsley for cilantro in sauce.

NOTES

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Roast Butterflied Leg of Lamb

LAMB
1 6 - 8 pound leg of lamb butterflied
 kosher salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 shallots sliced thinly
4 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
1 1 inch piece ginger 1/2 inch rounds, then smashed
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
3 bay leaves
2 2 inch strips lemon zest
 SAUCE
1/3 cup fresh mint chopped
1/3 cup fresh cilantro chopped
1 shallot minced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
 salt and pepper

1- Place lamb on cutting board with fat cap facing down.  Using sharp knife trim any pockets of fat and connective tissue from underside.  Flip over, trim fat cap to 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick, then pound roast to an even 1 inch thickness.  Cut slits, spaced 1/2 inch apart, in fat cap in crosshatch pattern:  do not cut into meat.  Rub 2 tablespoons of salt over entire roast and into slits.  Let stand, uncovered, at room temperature for 1 hour.  
2- Adjust oven racks 4 - 5 inches from broiler element and and heat oven to 250 degrees.  Stir together oil, shallots, ginger, garlic, coriander, cumin and mustard seeds, bay leaves, and lemon zest.  Bake on lower middle rack until spices are softened and shalllots and garlic are golden (about 1 hour).  Remove from oven and discard bay leaves.  
3- Pat lamb dry with paper towels and transfer fat side up to sheet, directly on top of spices.  Roast on lower middle rack until lamb registers  120 degrees, 30 -40 minutes.  Remove sheet pan from oven and heat broiler.  Broil lamb on upper rack until surface is well browned and charred in spots and lamb registers 125 degrees, 3 - 8 minutes for medium rare.  
4- Remove sheet from oven and, using 2 pairs of tongs, transfer lamb to carving board .  Tent loosely with aluminum foil and rest for 20 minutes.  
5-  Prepare sauce.  Pour pan juices through a fine strainer into a medium bowl.  pressing on solids to extract liquid.  Stir in mint, cilantro, shallot and lemon juice.  Add accumulated lamb juices to sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste
6- With long side facing you,  slice lamb with grain into 3 equal pieces.  Turn each piece and slice across the grain into 1/4 inch slices.  Serve with sauce (briefly microwave if needed.)

Another spice combo.  Omit cumin and mustard seeds.  Toss 6 sprigs fresh rosemary and 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes with oil mixture in step 2.  Sub parsley for cilantro in sauce.

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Nutrition

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Serving Size: 1 Serving (158g)
Recipe Makes: 8 Servings

Calories: 86
Calories from Fat: 67 (78%)

Amt Per Serving		% DV

	Total Fat 7.4g	10 %
	Saturated Fat 0.5g	3 %
	Monounsaturated Fat 4.7g
	Polyunsanturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 0mg		0 %
Sodium 33.2mg		1 %
Potassium 110.2mg		3 %
Total Carbohydrate 5g		1 %
	Dietary Fiber 0.9g	3 %
	Sugars, other 4.2g
Protein 1.1g		2 %
Powered by: USDA Nutrition Database Disclaimer: Nutrition facts are derived from linked ingredients (shown at left in colored bullets) and may or may not be complete. Always consult a licensed nutritionist or doctor if you have a nutrition-related medical condition.

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Calories per serving: 86

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