Tapenade-Stuffed Leg of Lamb
Pair with Red Hills Estate Pinot Noir
Serves 8
This boneless leg of lamb is slit all over, then the slits are stuffed with tapenade (seasoned olive paste). You can use ½ cup of store-bought tapenade or make your own as described below. Serve this dish with roasted potatoes.
Tapenade:
¾ pounds niçoise olives, pitted
2 anchovy fillets
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
1 small clove garlic, minced
Finely grated zest of ½ orange
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
In a food processor, combine olives, anchovies, cabers, garlic and zest. Puree until nearly smooth. Add olive oil and puree again until smooth.
Lamb:
1 boneless, butterflied leg of lamb, excess fat removed (about 3 ½ pounds)
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
½ cup chicken broth
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, as needed
Preheat oven to 450° F.
With a small, sharp knife, make ¾-inch-long slits all over the lamb and tuck a little tapenade into the slits, using all or most of the tapenade. Rub lamb with olive oil, then season with rosemary, salt and pepper. Place in roasting pan and roast 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350° F and continue cooking until meat registers an internal temperature of 130° F at the thickest part.
Transfer meat to a platter and rest 15 minutes. Pour roasting pan juices into a measuring cup to settle. Add chicken broth to hot roasting pan and scrape bottom with a wooden spoon to release and stuck bits. Pour into a small saucepan.
Just before carving lamb, pour any collected juices on the platter into the saucepan. Skim fat from the juices in the measuring cup and add juices to saucepan. Bring sauce to a simmer over high heat and simmer until reduced by about half.
Slice lamb thinly against the grain. Transfer to a warm platter. Spoon sauce over the lamb. Serve immediately.
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