Lamb:
1 heaping teaspoon garlic pepper
(see note)
1 teaspoon mild paprika
Pinch ground nutmeg
Pinch ground cumin
1 6-pound leg of lamb, boned, butterflied
and trimmed to about 3 to 3½ pounds (see note)
Sauce:
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 large green bell pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup prepared or homemade lamb
stock
Piece of browned rib bone, optional,
if available
1½ cups amontillado sherry,
plus additional (see note)
1 thread saffron or pinch of ground
saffron
½ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup honey
Hot cooked white rice
To prepare lamb: Mix together garlic pepper, paprika, nutmeg and cumin. Apply half of mixture to inside of butterflied lamb leg; tie leg into a roll and apply remaining spice mixture to outside. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Prepare sauce while meat is marinating.
To make lamb stock: Brown bones in a 400 degree oven with 2 onions, quartered; 2 carrots, cut in 2-inch lengths; and 2 to 3 ribs of celery, cut in 2-inch lengths. Bake in oven until well-browned. Transfer the bones and vegetables to a stock pt. Deglaze the roasting pan with water, about 1 cup. Pour the deglazing water over the bones and add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 3 hours. Skim the surface from time to time. Strain the stock and discard solids. Cool, cover and refrigerate. When cold, remove the fat that covers the surface. Freeze leftover stock.
To prepare sauce: Sauté onions and pepper in olive oil until onions are translucent. Add lamb stock, browned bone, if available, 1½ cups of amontillado and saffron. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook covered for 1 hour. Stir wine vinegar and honey into sauce; cook uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove bone, strain sauce, pressing vegetables lightly to extract liquid. Add more sherry if needed to bring to 3 cups. Refrigerate.
To complete dish: Bring rolled and spiced lamb to room temperature, roast in preheated 325-degree oven until meat is rare to medium-rare (about 145 or 150 on meat thermometer) or medium (about 160 degrees), about 1 hour. Meanwhile, reheated strained sauce. About 25 minutes before roast is ready, begin basting with the honey sauce. Baste two or three sauce. Remove from oven and let rest 15 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.
Serve sliced lamb on bed of white rice, top each serving with small amount of sauce and serve additional sauce at table.
Note: Garlic pepper is a spice blend available under the Schilling label.
Note: Amontillado is a Spanish sherry available at large wine departments in supermarkets.
Per serving:
Calories: 627 (40% from protein,
29% from carbohydrate, 31% from fat)
Protein: 63 grams
Total fat: 21 grams
Saturated fat: 7 grams
Cholesterol: 194 mg
Sodium: 280 mg
Carbohydrate: 29 grams
Exchanges: 7½ meat, 1 fat.