Fennel Rubbed Leg Of Lamb With Carrots And Salsa Verde Recipes

FENNEL-RUBBED LEG OF LAMB WITH CARROTS AND SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• Lamb:
• Season lamb generously with salt and pepper; let it sit out at room temperature while you prepare the rub.
• Using spice mill or mortar and pestle, coarsely grind fennel seeds and red pepper flakes. Transfer to a small bowl and mix in garlic and 3 Tbsp. oil. Evenly rub lamb all over with spice mixture, making sure to work it into every nook and cranny.
• Preheat oven to 300°F. Heat remaining 1/4 cup oil in a large heavy skillet over medium. As soon as oil is hot and shimmering, add lamb to skillet and cook, carefully pouring off fat as needed into a small bowl (reserve it), until golden brown all over, 3-5 minutes per side. The goal here is to cook out some of the excess fat while you brown the meat, so it's important to maintain a moderate heat to keep the meat from getting dark before the fat can melt out. If the oil looks really dark or tastes burned, discard it and use olive oil in the next step.
• Trim tops from carrots and set aside for making the salsa verde. Scrub carrots, pat dry, and scatter along the outer edges of a large rimmed baking sheet. Place seared lamb in the center. Pour reserved fat and any fat still in skillet (don't forget to scrape out the crispy bits stuck to the bottom of the pan) over carrots, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
• Roast lamb and carrots until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of leg registers 135°F for medium-rare, 75-90 minutes. Transfer lamb to a cutting board and tent with foil; let rest 20 minutes. Leave oven on.
• Salsa Verde and assembly:
• While the lamb is resting, transfer carrots to a platter, then carefully pour any juices from the baking sheet into a small bowl (you should have about 1/4 cup; if you don't, top off with olive oil). Transfer carrots back to baking sheet and pop back into oven. Roast 5 minutes to reheat.
• Meanwhile, finely chop reserved carrot tops to make 1/2 cup; discard remaining tops. Place in a small bowl and mix in parsley, chives, lemon juice, pan juices, and 2 Tbsp. oil. Season with salt and pepper and more lemon juice if needed.
• Remove twine from lamb and slice about 1/2" thick (but you can really go as thick or thin as you would like). Arrange on a platter and serve with warm roasted carrots and salsa verde alongside.

HONEY-BRAISED LEG OF LAMB WITH CARROTS AND FENNEL

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the mint, rosemary and garlic. Open up the lamb flat on a baking sheet and top with some salt and pepper, about 2 tablespoons of the honey and about three-quarters of the herb-garlic mix. Roll up the lamb and tie it with butcher's twine, then top with the remaining honey and herb-garlic mix. Refrigerate, uncovered, for about 2 hours to marinate, then let the lamb come to room temperature before cooking.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Add the chicken broth, white wine, carrots, onions and fennel to a large Dutch oven, then set the lamb on top of the vegetables. Roast until the lamb registers an internal temperature of 130 degrees F (medium rare) on an instant-read thermometer, about 2 hours.
• Let the lamb rest on a cutting board for 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to a serving platter.
• In a small bowl, use a fork to mash the butter and flour together to form a smooth paste. Place the Dutch oven with the pan juices over medium heat and bring to a simmer, then whisk in the butter and flour mixture. Bring to a boil and heat until thickened, about 3 minutes.
• Slice the lamb and serve with the vegetables and pan sauce spooned over.

FOREVER ROASTED LAMB WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Make the Fennel Spice Rub: Put the fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns in a heavy pan over medium heat. Watch carefully, tossing frequently so the seeds toast evenly. When light brown and fragrant, stir in the salt and pour the seeds onto a plate to cool. (They must be cool before grinding, or they will gum up the blades.)
• Pour the seeds into a blender or spice mill and blend to a fine powder, shaking the blender occasionally to redistribute the seeds. Store in a tightly sealed glass jar in a cool, dry place, or freeze. (Makes about 1 1/4 cups.)
• In 1 pot, bring sweet potatoes and water up to a boil with 1 tablespoon salt. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until tender. Strain and lay out to cool.
• In another pot bring 1/2 gallon water to a boil with 1 tablespoon salt, add sprouts and cook for 3 minutes Strain and lay out to cool.
• For the lamb: Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Place a roasting pan in the oven.
• Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat until hot. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 1 minute. Add the sage and cook about 3 minutes. Add the water, cover, and cook until the onions are very tender, about 10 minutes. Uncover and saute until the onions are very soft and the pan is dry again, about 2 minutes.
• Slice open the leg of lamb and lay flat. Season meat well all over with the Fennel Spice and salt and pepper. Spread half of the sauteed onion mixture directly on top of the seasoning, inside the leg of lamb. Roll up the meat and tie with kitchen twine. Set aside the other half of onion mixture.
• Rub the outside of the lamb with more Fennel Spice. Remove the roasting pan from the oven and lay the carrots and celery on the bottom. Place the lamb on top of the carrots and celery, drizzle with some extra-virgin olive oil and cook for 7 hours. Spread the remaining onion mixture on top of the lamb, place a foil as a tent over the lamb and roast for an additional hour. The lamb is ready when it pulls away easily if picked at with a pair of tongs. Remove the lamb from the oven and keep warm.
• Increase the oven heat to 425 degrees F.
• Heat a large saute pan on high heat. Add 1/4 cup olive oil and reserved sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts; Toss lightly to coat with oil and do not touch for 2 minutes or until the bottoms begin to brown. Turn and cook for 3 more minutes until brown on that side. Season with salt and pepper and place in oven for 15 minutes After 15 minutes open oven and add sage and garlic. Stir well and continue to roast for 5 minutes more or until the garlic is light brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle with orange zest.
• Serve lamb warm with roasted vegetables.