Spring Lamb With Baby Greens Recipes

SPRING LAMB WITH ROSEMARY AND TURNIPS

Steps:

• Season lamb generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chopped rosemary, and rub the herbs into the surface of the lamb. Arrange rosemary sprigs on the bottom of a roasting pan. Lay lamb rack(s) over sprigs. Let meat come to room temperature before roasting.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees.
• Roast lamb, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part reads 125 degrees (for medium-rare). Let rest on a cutting board.
• Put turnips in a wide medium saucepan over medium heat and cover with 1 inch of water. Season with salt, add butter and bring to a brisk simmer. When turnips are fork-tender, about 5 minutes, add greens and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 2 more minutes. If desired, bring the water to a boil and let evaporate. Let turnips brown slightly in the remaining butter, if you like.
• Cut lamb racks into 4 thick chops or 8 thin chops, slicing between the bones.

ROASTED LEG OF SPRING LAMB "GIGOTAN", WITH BAKED CANNELLINI BEANS AND CONFIT OF SPRING VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Soak cannelloni beans in water overnight. Remove hind legs from baby lamb. Remove femur bone and kneecap. Pick 1 sprig of rosemary and 1/2 bunch of thyme, clean 4 cloves of garlic. Chop together until fine. Season bone marrow and inside of lamb leg with salt and pepper, and rub with chopped herb and garlic mixture. Insert marrow into leg cavity and tie with butcher's twine. Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Blanch Roma tomatoes in boiling water for 15 seconds. Shock in ice water until cold. Peel skin from tomatoes, cut in half and scrape out the seeds. Place 8 halves on foil lined sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and add 2 crushed cloves of garlic and 2 sprigs of thyme. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Place in oven, cook for 45 minutes to an hour, flip over and cook for another hour or until firm and dry. Turn oven up to 400 degrees. Clean 4 cloves of garlic of excess skin, but be sure to leave 1 layer on. Place in small pot and cover with oil. Place on moderate fire until slow simmer, about 5 minutes. Once simmer is reached, turn fire down very low and let garlic cook in oil. Be careful at this point, excessive heat will cause garlic cloves to explode, shooting hot oil in all directions. Use a splatter guard if unsure. Cook for an additional 10 minutes, remove from heat and let cool in oil. Crack femur bone and kneecap. Cut scrap meat, from lamb carcass, into large dice. Heat large roasting pan, add half of garlic "confit" oil. Carefully place lamb bones and scraps in pan and place in oven. Let roast, stirring occasionally, until dark golden brown. At this point, remove from oven, add 2 crushed cloves of garlic, 1 small piece each of rosemary and thyme and deglaze with 4 cups of water. Make sure to scrape pan bottom well to loosen all of the meat bits that adhered during the roasting period. Transfer into saucepot large enough to fit everything, and simmer, skimming frequently, until reduced by half. Add demi-glace and reduce further until 12 ounces remains. Pass this fragrant lamb "Jus" through a strainer or coffee filter, and season to taste. Drain beans and place into thick bottomed pot. Cut carrot, celery and onion in half, add to pot. Add remaining rosemary, thyme, tomato halves, garlic and 2 ounces olive oil. Cover with water and bring to simmer. Continue to cook until beans are tender, about 2 hours. Pull off of fire and season with liberal amounts of salt. Let cool in liquid. When cold, remove cooking liquid and discard with herbs. Chop aromatics and re-combine with beans. Cut each of the squash and zucchini into 3 equal sized cylinders. Cut each of the cylinders into 4 equal sized wedges. Trim each of the wedges, using a pairing knife, into football shaped pieces. This is called "Tourne." Blanch in salted, boiling water until easily pierced with a knife tip. Cool quickly. Turn oven down to 375 degrees. Season lamb legs with salt and pepper, rub with oil, place on roasting rack and cook for 45 to 55 minutes. Check internal temperature with thermometer, it should be about 135 to 140 degrees. Pull from oven and let rest for 15 minutes. Place beans and vegetables in medium sized pot with 4 ounces of lamb "Jus". Simmer until thick, season to taste and serve, distributing the vegetables evenly. Slice leg of lamb cross grain, making sure to keep whole slices intact with marrow. Place on top of vegetable, bean mixture. Place 1 piece of garlic confit and 2 pieces of tomato confit on top of each portion. Drizzle 2 ounce of lamb "Jus" on each plate and serve piping hot!

ITALIAN SPRINGTIME LAMB

Steps:

• For the lamb: Remove the lamb from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.
• Warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, rosemary, pepper flakes and walnuts. Toast until fragrant and beginning to brown. Add the chopped spinach and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and cook until wilted. Stir in the raisins.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spread the lamb out flat, fat-side down, on a board in front of you. If it is still very thick, gently pound it to an even, 1-inch thickness. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Spread evenly with the mustard; distribute the spinach mixture over the mustard. Starting from one side, roll up the lamb with the filling inside so that it maintains the shape of the leg. Tie with butcher's twine at 2-inch intervals. Season the outside with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• Wipe out the saute pan and add the remaining tablespoon olive oil. Place the pan over high heat and allow it to get hot. Place the lamb in the pan and sear it on all sides until golden brown all over, about two minutes per side. Transfer the lamb to a rimmed baking sheet or a roasting pan and roast until the internal temperature registers 135 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove to a cutting board and rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
• While the lamb is roasting, prepare the gremolata: In a small saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the panko and cook, stirring regularly, until golden brown. Add the parsley, lemon zest, pepper flakes and salt. Toss and set aside to let the flavors mingle.
• Serve the sliced lamb with a sprinkling of the breadcrumb gremolata.