HOW TO MAKE APPLE CIDER & HONEY ROASTED LAMB LEG
Recipe by Tu Le.
SERVES 4-6
- 1 leg of lamb (about 4-5lb) fat trimmed and skin scored
- Olive oil
- 3-4 garlic cloves, skins on, halved
- A few sprigs of fresh thyme
- Juice of ½ a lemon
- 4 apples: Honeycrisp or Braeburn
- 2 cups of cider (Uncommon or Big Rock)
- 4 tbsp honey
- 1 cup chicken stock
Preheat oven to 450 F. Score fat around leg of lamb in a criss-cross pattern. Rub with olive oil and liberally season with salt and pepper. Place in a deep roasting pan and scatter garlic and thyme. Add lemon juice and roast for 20 minutes.
Core and chop apples into quarters. Reduce oven heat to 375 F. Add apples and cider to roasting pan with lamb and drizzle with honey. Return to oven for 15 minutes for every pound for a medium doneness. Baste with pan juices halfway thru cooking time.
Remove lamb from roasting pan. Place on board and tent with foil, allow to rest for 15 minutes.
With a hand blender, break up apple and garlic in the roasting pan, blending until chunks are gone. Strain into a saucepan and add the chicken stock. Reduce over medium high heat, until desired thickness is reached.
Carve lamb and serve with sauce.
Tu Le is chef and co-owner of Jack's Burger Shack and Cerdos Tacos and Tequila, in St. Albert, Alberta.
