Roasted Leg of Lamb with Minted Goat Cheese Stuffing
Restaurant Phoebe, Montpelier, Vermont
Ingredients
5-to-7 lb. leg of lamb (if it comes in a net, remove lamb from netting)
Marinade Ingredients
1 Spanish onion, rough chop
3 shallots, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup rosemary, chopped
1/2 cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup thyme, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1/4 cup of Dijon mustard
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon chili flakes
Marinade Preparation
Place all ingredients, except olive oil, in blender or food processor and puree. Slowly add oil to form an emulsion.
In a baking dish, or other appropriate vessel, pour marinade over leg of lamb. Cover and allow to marinate for at least 24 hours.
Minted Goat Cheese Stuffing Ingredients
1 tablespoon small dice of carrot
1 tablespoon small dice of shallot
1 tablespoon small dice of celery
1 whole egg
1 lb. Vermont Butter and Cheese Company Chevre
1 cup Panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs)
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon chopped mint
1 tablespoon ground coriander
Minted Goat Cheese Stuffing Preparation
Sauté carrots, shallot, and celery in scant amount of olive oil until tender and translucent.
Mix all ingredients, including sautéed carrot, shallot, and celery in large bowl. Incorporate all ingredients using your hands.
Let stuffing rest for at least 1 hour before stuffing leg of lamb.
Assembly
Remove leg of lamb from marinade and place fat-side down on your work surface. Season inside of lamb with salt and pepper.
Using a rubber spatula, place stuffing along the length of the leg of lamb. Roll lamb and tie with butcher’s twine to form a football-shaped roast. Season the outside with salt and pepper. Allow roast to sit in refrigerator for at least 1 hour before roasting.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place roast on the rack of your favorite roasting pan and place in hot oven. Cook at 450 degrees F for 15 minutes or until the fat of the lamb starts to brown a little.
Lower oven to 350 degrees F and cook for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 140 F (for medium-rare). Let the roast rest for 15-20 minutes before carving.
