Leg Of Roasted Lamb On Potato Eggplant And Tomato Tian Recipes

MAMA'S OH-SO-SAVORY LAMB AND EGGPLANT CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Place eggplant in a colander set in a bowl or the sink; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and toss to coat. Let eggplant stand for at least 1 hour. Rinse off the bitter liquid and excess salt and drain well.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion and celery; cook and stir until onion has softened and turned translucent and celery is fragrant, about 5 minutes.
• While vegetables are cooking, combine ground cumin, oregano, rosemary, paprika, mint, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl or mortar and pestle and mix well; this is the lamb seasoning (see Cook's Note). Set seasoning aside.
• Stir eggplant cubes and garlic into the vegetables in the skillet, mixing well, and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes and sprinkle with half of the lamb seasoning mixture. Reserve remaining seasoning. Stir gently and cook for 5 minutes more.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 2-quart casserole dish.
• Pour chicken broth and half the can of tomato sauce into the skillet and simmer for 10 minutes; add a little water if the sauce starts to get dry. Transfer the sauce to the prepared casserole dish.
• Return the skillet to the stove over medium-high heat and heat the reserved tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Place ground lamb into skillet and sprinkle with remaining seasoning mixture. Brown lamb in the hot oil, stirring frequently, until the meat is evenly browned; it should look like imperfect meatballs.
• Gently transfer the lamb to the casserole dish, pushing it down into the vegetable mixture so that it is at least partially submerged. Stir fresh lemon juice into the remaining tomato sauce and pour the sauce over the casserole.
• Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending upon how tender you like your vegetables.

LEG OF LAMB WITH TOMATOES AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Put a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Arrange tomatoes in a 17 1/2-by-12 inch roasting pan and place lamb on top (if using canned tomatoes, coarsely chop them and pour the juice over them). Arrange garlic around lamb. Lay rosemary sprigs on lamb (or sprinkle dried rosemary), then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil.
• Roast lamb for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue roasting lamb, basting garlic with remaining 2 tablespoons oil every 20 minutes to keep it from drying out, until thermometer inserted into thickest part of lamb (without touching bone) reas 135 degrees for medium-rare, 1 3/4 to 1 1/2 hours more.
• Transfer lamb to a cutting board and let stand, loosely covered with foil, for 20-30 minutes. Stir tomato mixture and transfer to a sauceboat.
• Carve lamb and serve with tomato mixture and roasted garlic.

ROASTED LAMB WITH POTATO, ONION AND TOMATO GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Rub bottom of 16x10 gratin pan with split garlic clove.
• Arrange potato slices in bottom of pan.
• Season with salt, pepper, some of the thyme and chopped garlic.
• Add a layer of onions and seasoning.
• Add a layer of tomatoes and seasoning on top.
• Drizzle with wine and oil.
• Trim the thicker portions of fat from the leg of lamb.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Place lamb on a sturdy cake rake directly on top of gratin pan.
• Roast, uncovered, for about 1 hour and 15 minutes for rare lamb (1 hour and 45 minutes for well-done); turning lamb every 15 minutes, basting with liquid from gratin pan.
• Remove from oven and allow to sit for 20 minutes before carving.

LEG OF ROASTED LAMB ON POTATO, EGGPLANT, AND TOMATO TIAN

Steps:

• Toss half of tomato slices with onions, eggplant, garlic, oregano, potatoes, salt, and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Transfer to an oiled shallow 3-quart casserole, spreading evenly. Arrange remaining tomato slices on top. Roast, uncovered, in middle of oven 30 minutes.
• Prepare lamb:
• Trim lamb of all but a 1/4-inch layer of fat. Cut small slits all over lamb with a sharp small knife and put a slice of garlic into each slit. Rub lamb with some lemon juice and season with oregano, salt, and pepper.
• After tian has been roasting 30 minutes, put lamb on top of vegetables. Roast in middle of oven 30 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350°F.
• Continue roasting, basting meat with cooking juices (baste with remaining lemon juice during last 30 minutes of roasting) until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat (do not touch bone) registers 135°F for medium-rare, about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer meat to a cutting board, cover tian with foil, and let meat stand 15 minutes before carving. Spoon off any excess fat from tian and discard. Serve tian with lamb.