sasjw3@unx.sas.com (Jade Walker) (03/27/91)
This recipe is a paraphrase of the one in Sarah Leah Chase's _Cold-Weather_Cooking_. (New York: Workman Publishing, 1990. ISBN 0-89480-752-8). I particularly like her books because she makes unusual combinations of ingredients that I wouldn't normally try. I tried this last Sunday by halving the ingredients and using a 2 1/2 lb. section of leg that I had left over from previous cooking expeditions. In this case, it served only two, but one of them was my husband. Roast Leg of Lamb with Moroccan Spices 1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature 6 cloves garlic, minced 3 tbsp. minced fresh ginger 1 tbsp. paprika 1 tbsp. ground cumin 2 tsp. ground coriander 1 leg of lamb, about 6 1/2 lbs. Kosher (coarse) salt 1 1/2 c. dry red wine Raspberry-Mint Sauce 1 c. fresh mint leaves, torn into coarse pieces 3/4 c. raspberry vinegar 1/2 c. rice wine vinegar 1/3 c. sugar Freshly ground black pepper to taste. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mash butter, garlic, and ginger together in a small bowl, then add in the spices and continue to blend until it forms a smooth paste. Trim the fat on the lamb to a thin layer. Make about 20 small 1 inch deep cuts in the lamb with the tip of a sharp paring knife. Rub the lamb with the spice paste, making sure to push it into the incisions. Put lamb in a roasting pan and sprinkle with the kosher salt. Add wine to the bottom of the pan. Roast the lamb for about 1 1/2 hours (medium-rare). Baste occasionally with the pan juices. While the lamb is roasting, prepare the sauce. In a small bowl, put the mint and pour both vinegars over it. Stir in the sugar and add the pepper. Let sit at room temperature to let the flavors mellow. Remove lamb from oven and let sit 10-15 minutes. Slice the lamb thin and arrange on a platter. Pour some of the pan juices over the slices. Serve with the raspberry-mint sauce on the side. Serves 8-10.