Garlic-And-Herb-Crusted Lamb

Description

Source: Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2004 - Cooking Light Magazine

Ingredients

• 4 whole garlic heads, unpeeled
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1 (8-pound) leg of lamb
• 12 fresh garlic slices
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups fresh French breadcrumbs (about 4 ounces)
• 2 1/4 cups low-salt beef broth
• 1/2 cup Merlot or other dry red wine
• 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• Thyme sprigs (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Remove papery skin from garlic heads (do not peel or separate cloves).
3. Cut off top portions of garlic heads.
4. Wrap garlic heads in foil.
5. Bake at 350° for 1 hour; cool 10 minutes.
6. Squeeze garlic heads to extract pulp.
7. Discard skins.
8. Place garlic pulp, mustard, and oil in a food processor; process until smooth.
9. Stir in chives and thyme leaves.
10. Increase oven temperature to 425°.
11. Trim fat of lamb.
12. Cut 12 (3/4-inch) slits in lamb; place a garlic slice in each slit.
13. Sprinkle lamb with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper; rub with roasted garlic paste mixture.
14. Press breadcrumbs over surface of lamb.
15. Place on a broiler pan.
16. Insert meat thermometer into thickest part of lamb, making sure not to touch bone.
17. Bake at 425° for 10 minutes.
18. Decease oven temperature to 325°.
19. Bake an additional 2 hours and 10 minutes or until thermometer registers 140° (medium-rare) to 155° (medium).
20. Remove lamb from rack; place on a shallow serving platter.
21. Lightly cover with foil; let stand 15 minutes.
22. Drain fat from bottom of pan (do not scrape pan).
23. Place broiler pan on stovetop over medium-high heat.
24. Add broth, and bring to a boil, scraping to loosen browned bits.
25. Combine red wine and cornstarch, and stir with a whisk.
26. Add to beef broth; return to a boil.
27. Cook 1 minute or until mixture is slightly thick, stirring constantly.
28. Stir in 3/4 teaspoon salt, and serve immediately with lamb.
29. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.

Yield: 20 servings (serving size: 3 ounces lamb and 2 tablespoons sauce)