There are a few dishes that will instantly take me back to my childhood. Pork with whisky soy sauce and sour crème. London broil with Yorkshire pudding and roast potatoes, and my mothers chicken soup. But this one was my favorite. After some detective work that made me feel like Inspector Poirot, that had my mother go through books, only to find that very recipe I needed was unreadable due to wine spillage (must be a Fash family gene), I found myself at the library going through a Julia Child cookbook. Gold. After a quick trip to the photocopier I was home free. I have made this a few times and the only thing I can say is…good lord that is good… and sooooooooo simple. Funny, how the simple things are always the best. I would not go so far as to call this peasant food, but it is so simple, and if your history is as poor as mine (unless it comes to the American corporatocracy and how it has fucked the world… and us) it just may well have been.
I made this for 20 friends for new years eve dinner. I made two legs, but I will give you the recipe for one 5lb leg as that just seems more reasonable.
Take a 5lb leg of lamb. Mine had the bone out to make for faster carving whilst trying to serve 20 hungry people, but a bone in cut is more flavor packed.
First make the mustard coating.
Take ½ cup of Dijon mustard
2tbs of soy sauce
clove of garlic mashed
1 tsp of minced rosemary
¼ tsp of powdered ginger
and mix together in a bowl. Then beat in:
2tbs of olive oil to make a crème.
Paint the leg of lamb with this magic sauce and let sit or a few hours to take in the flavor. I like to leave it for at least three or four.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and cook for about one to one and a half hours. Think less about the time and more about the internal temperature. Lamb is so beautifully tender, that overcooking it should have you tossed in the clink. I use a digital thermometer to measure and yank it out at 140 degrees F as it will still raise an extra five or ten degrees after it comes out. Let it rest for 15-20 min and slice that puppy (or lamb) up.
This is one of those amazing winter/autumn dishes that just sings when it is with roasted veggies, especially parsnips. Thank you Mum!
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