CHRISTMAS LAMB
Do not be so provincial to turn up your nose at the idea of using small oily fish in a roast lamb preparation. They are the great umami carriers in this dish; their so-called fishiness quite gracefully fades—actually disappears—in the cooking; and you will regret, woefully regret, omitting them.
I often make this as the centerpiece for my family’s Christmas dinner. I’ve roasted a fair number of legs of lamb over the years. Combine any number of oohs and aahs from everyday roastings past and altogether they do not equal those that grace this recipe and us on Christmas (or Christmas Eve) night.
RECIPE: Christmas Lamb
Adapted from Patricia Wells at foodandwine.com and thomasfarms.com. Serves 6.
Ingredients
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup coarse-grain Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon ground hot red pepper (such as Aleppo, Espelette or Urfa)
1/4 cup full-fat whole milk yogurt
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
6 cloves garlic, peeled and well crushed
1 teaspoon anchovy paste (or 2 oil-preserved silver anchovies, well mashed)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3-pound boneless leg of lamb, trimmed of excess fat (see note)
3 tablespoons peanut oil
Directions
Mix together well all the marinade ingredients (everything but the lamb and peanut oil). The marinade will be thick and pasty. Let rest for 30 minutes for the flavors to combine.
Place the marinade either in a large plastic zippered bag or a non-reactive container large enough to hold it and the lamb together. Slather the lamb with the marinade, making sure the marinade reaches all over. Close up the plastic bag or cover the container and place the lamb in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.
To cook the lamb: Remove the lamb from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature (at least 1 hour). Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
In a large skillet, heat the peanut oil over high heat. Remove the lamb from the marinade, scrape it clean of the marinade (but reserve this marinade and any from the bag or container) and sear the lamb on all sides, 2-3 minutes per side. Put the lamb in a roasting pan and slather the reserved marinade all over it.
Place in the center of the oven and roast for 15 minutes, uncovered. Lower the heat to 375 degrees, flip the lamb over in its pan and roast an additional 20 minutes per pound (total roasting time for 3 pounds would be about 60 minutes), turning the lamb another couple of times as it roasts.
About 15 minutes before the end of the roasting time, check the temperature of the lamb at its thickest point with an instant-read thermometer. For medium-rare, remove from the oven at 135 degrees. For medium, at 140 degrees. Remove the lamb to a platter and loosely cover with foil. Let rest anywhere from 10-30 minutes. (Its temperature will rise 5-7 degrees.)
Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: Place the roasting pan over moderate heat, scraping up any bits that cling to the bottom. Cook for 2-3 minutes, scraping and stirring until any liquid is almost caramelized. Do not let it burn. Spoon off and discard any excess fat. Add several tablespoons cold water to deglaze (hot water will cloud the sauce).
Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. While the sauce is cooking, carve the lamb and place on a warmed platter. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve.
Serve the lamb with the sauce and any accompaniments. If for Christmas dinner, an assortment of green and red vegetables (green beans, broccoli florets, halves of Brussels sprouts and grape or cherry tomatoes) is festive.
Note: The lamb may come in smaller or larger portions than the 3 pounds stipulated. In that case, roast it or them according to size; for example, roast two 1 1/2 pound boneless legs for 30 minutes, not 60, all other directions the same.