Unicorn (Unicorn@Indenial.com)
Thu, 01 Apr 1999 08:56:52 -0500
Deborah Cobham of Surrey, England asks the eternal question:
If you're supposed to drink white wine with fish, should you eat white
grapes with sushi?
In the United States we really don't have a traditional Easter dinner.
Naturally, some families have established their own traditions, but
there is no national consensus on what to eat on Easter as there is on
Thanksgiving, for example. That is not the case in other parts of the
world. In much of Europe and the Middle East, and in Greece in
particular, lamb is the meat of choice for Easter. This recipe for
roast leg of lamb is simple, classic, and remarkably good.
Roast Leg of Lamb
3 lbs (1.5 Kg) or more leg of lamb
5 to 8 cloves of garlic, cut into slivers
15 to 20 1 inch (2 cm) pieces of parsley stem
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Juice of 1 lemon
4 to 6 Tbs (60 to 90 ml) melted butter
3 Tbs (45 ml) flour
For the gravy:
1 cup (250 ml) water
2 Tbs (30 ml) butter
2 Tbs (30 ml) flour
Wash and dry the leg of lamb. Make a few cuts in the meat using the
point of a sharp knife and stuff some garlic and parsley stems into
each cut. Rub the lemon juice into the meat and season with salt and
pepper. Sprinkle the flour over the surface of the meat. Roast in a
preheated 350F (180C) oven for about 30 minutes per pound (1 hour per
kilogram), or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165F (75C)
for medium-rare to 180 (80C) for well-done. Remove from the pan and
allow the roast to cool for 15 minutes before slicing and arranging
the meat on a serving platter. Meanwhile, pour off and discard the
fat from the roasting pan and add the water, stirring to scrape up all
the baked on "brown bits" in the bottom of the pan. In a small
saucepan melt the butter over moderate heat and add the flour,
stirring constantly until it turns light brown. Add the flour mixture
to the water in the roasting pan, stirring it over low heat until the
gravy has thickened. Pour into a gravy boat and serve with the meat.
Serves 6 to 8, or more depending on the size of the roast.
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