Ingredients
- 6 to 7 pound leg of lamb
- FOR STOCK
- 1 1/2 pounds lamb (trimmings, and additional meat if necessary to equal 1 1/2 pounds)
- 2 quarts water
- 1 yellow onion, halved
- Carrot, sliced (1/2 carrot)
- 2 sprigs thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 2 sprigs parsley
- 3 peppercorns
- 2 dried chipotle chiles (or canned)
- FOR MARINADE
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cumin seeds
- 3 tablespoons black peppercorns
- 3 tablespoons ground oregano (roasted Mexican)
- 3 tablespoons dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 dried chipotle chiles (or canned)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 to 10 nopales (cactus leaves available in southwestern markets or in the produce section, optional)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
How to Make
-
Step 1: Carefully trim all the fat and outside membranes from the leg of lamb with a boning knife and set aside, covered with plastic wrap.
-
Step 2: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
-
Step 3: To make the stock, roast the lamb trimmings and meat in a shallow roasting pan for 30 minutes or until brown. Bring water to a boil over high heat, add trimmings, vegetables, herbs, peppercorns, and chiles and reduce heat to medium. Skim frequently until scrum stops rising. Then simmer over low heat, uncovered, for about 6 hours. Add additional water if stock level falls below level of ingredients. Strain and receive stock.
-
Step 4: To prepare marinade, toast the cumin seeds, peppercorns, oregano and thyme in a small skillet over medium heat. Stir frequently and remove from heat when ingredients smell roasted and before they start to smoke. Add salt and chiles, and grind the mixture into a fine powder. Rub the lamb with olive oil and then with powdered marinade ingredients. Place in refrigerator, preferably overnight, to marinate.
-
Step 5: Bring lamb to room temperature (4-6 hours before cooking). Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place lamb on a rack in a shallow roasting pan and roast for about 1 hour, or until meat reaches an internal temperature of 120 degrees F (if you butterflied the lamb reduce cooking time). Raise heat to 450 degrees F for 5-10 minutes to brown the exterior or until lamb has a temperature of 130 degrees F. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before carving to allow meat juice to be reabsorbed.
-
Step 6: While the lamb is roasting, remove ay needles from the cactus pads and wash in cold water. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over a low charcoal fire or under a broiler for about 5 minutes per side, or until tender.
-
Step 7: To make the sauce, pour off the lamb fat from the roasting pan and add 6 cups reserved lamb stock. Reduce of high heat, stirring occasionally, until the stock is reduced by two-thirds. Adjust seasonings.
-
Step 8: Carve the lamb and serve on a platter with rice. Garnish with cactus leaves and spoon sauce over the meat.
We hope you enjoy this recipe!
This page is built for your convenience in the kitchen.
If you want helpful tools, tips and recipes from our community of real cooks, please consider signing up.
Oh... And one more thing... We also have some pretty wild forums.