National Culinary Review

he best part of menuing leg of lamb is the wide variety of cooking techniques that this favorite cut can accommodate. Grilling, roasting, braising, broiling,

sauteing and slow-cooking can produce a wide variety of tasty options on the menu.

t
going boneless

“We’re using boneless leg of lamb for better yield, better presentation and for more even cooking temperature. Besides, removing the bone is always a challenge, since you have to be careful not to leave much meat on the bone,” Wall explains.

Aiming to marinate the leg of lamb as long as possible, ideally, overnight, he finely chops a generous amount of fresh rosemary and mixes it with crushed garlic and high-quality extra virgin olive oil, creating a rosemary pesto-type marinade. To roast the lamb, Wall places it in a 475°F oven for an initial sear, then reduces the temperature to 275°F-300°F and cooks for 12-15 minutes per pound.

PHOTO CREDIT: Opposite and above, American Lamb Board

While eschewing the traditional mint jelly, Wall says his sun-dried tomato/mint relish is a good pairing. To prepare the relish, preferably several days in advance, he combines chopped sun-dried tomatoes, minced celery, chopped onion, salt and pepper, and strains over a bowl for at least an hour to allow moisture to drain. Next, he combines sugar, pepper, cloves, mustard seed and vinegar in a large saucepan and brings to a boil, then reduces the heat and reduces the liquid by two-thirds. He removes the saucepan from the heat and adds the tomato mixture. The relish is transferred to a bowl over ice to cool down. When it’s cool, mint is added and seasoning adjusted with salt and pepper. To serve, a generous spoonful is put on top of the sliced lamb.

it’s all greek

Lola is a Tom Douglas restaurant in Seattle known for its modern Mediterranean menu with Greek and North African influences. Liam Spence, executive chef, says cooking lamb is fairly simple. Lola’s leg of lamb (typically procured from

Anderson Ranch in Oregon’s Willamette Valley) is one of his favorite preparations.

Spence removes the bone from the leg of lamb, opens it up, then rubs a mixture of Greek oregano (his secret ingredient), rosemary, salt and pepper onto the lamb before tying it back together. After marinating it for a day or two, he roasts the lamb in a 325°F oven until it reaches an internal temperature of 130°F. He makes sure to baste it every 15-20 minutes with extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice “to create a nice crusty tang from the lemon,” he says.

Spence serves the sliced meat with lamb jus, shaved fennel bulb, fennel pollen, chopped mixed Greek olives, olive oil and lemon juice.

For a Middle Eastern take on lamb, Spence menus shawarma, a version of the gyro. He takes 2-5 oz. of leg of lamb meat, sliced super-thin into 1¼-inch pieces. “Then, quick-saute in olive oil and a lot of spices—cumin, coriander, Spanish paprika, fennel seed, cayenne, turmeric, fenugreek (all toasted and ground, except the paprika)—until the meat is tender and juicy,” he says. “Serve it on or wrapped in pita bread, along with shredded lettuce, tomato jam and a garlic/