On Wed, 08 Apr 2009 15:15:42 -0500, Melba's Jammin'
> wrote:

>I just bought a small lamb roast ‹ $22 at $7/lb. <cough> So you can
>see it's just a little over three pounds. It looks wonderful ‹ I don't
>know what they cut from it to make it this size but I feel fortunate to
>have it * it has only the shank bone going through the middle of it.
>
>I have never in my borned days cooked (from raw) lamb. (A couple months
>ago I heated some already-roasted lamb from TJ. That's as close to
>cooking it as I've ever come.) I had some samples of leg of lamb at my
>food co-op last week and it was seriously delicious.
>
>Does a hot start and a slow finish apply to a lamb roast? I'd love to
>see the outside of it nice and brown, but at 3#, will it have enough
>time in a slow oven to brown if I don't start it hot?
>
>My plan is to KISS * rosemary is my herb of choice for sprinkling on top
>of it. Do I want to slather on some olive oil first?
>
>BTW, I don't think I'll be cooking this for a while ‹ maybe not until
>next week, in fact. I have to consult with my hostess about this * she
>may not be interested in lamb for Easter dinner.

Did you see the lamb recipe Giusi posted here either today or
yesterday? I copied it from the Web page she linked to. Page is
he http://www.thegutsygourmet.net/chermoula-lamb.html


Barbecued Lamb with Chermoula
INGREDIENTS:

1 med onion grated
2 clv garlic crushed
4 tbl chopped flat leaved parsley
4 tbl chopped fresh coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground saffron
1/2 tsp Harissa (qv)
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tbl lemon juice
l/2 kg leg of lamb

Method :
o To make Chermoula:
Mix onion garlic flat leaved parsley coriander cumin saffron harissa
olive oil and lemon juice
together and stand for 1 hour.
o Starting at the thicker end of the leg of lamb cut down and
around bone.
o Scrape away as much meat as possible.
o Remove bone.
o Cut down into but not through the thickest part of the meat
and open out flat.
o Spread chermoula mixture into both sides of lamb and marinate
for at least 2 hours.
o Barbecue for about 3/4 hour turning frequently.
o Cut in thick slices across the grain and serve.
o Note. Harissa is a fiery condiment widely used in Morocco. The
basic ingredients are
red chillies cayenne olive oil and garlic. It should be thick with the
consistency of light
mayonnaise. Harissa is delicious served with poached eggs or sausages.
o Serves 6


Last time I did a leg of lamb, I cooked it on the gas grill with an
herb, lemon, garlic, and Dijon mustard rub on it. I used a meat
thermometer to get it to a medium rare temp (allowing for some
hold-over heating after it was removed from the fire).
--

modom