Leg Of Lamb With Tzatziki Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Open the "pocket" on the wide end of the leg of lamb and stuff with some garlic slices, 1 rosemary sprig, 1 bay leaf, and salt. Make 3 long incisions in the top of the leg with your knife. Stuff remaining garlic, rosemary sprigs, bay leaves, and some salt into the incisions. Season well with salt all over.
• Season eggplant, zucchini, and 1 red onion with salt and tumble into a roasting pan. Place the leg of lamb on top.
• Roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) and cover pan with aluminum foil. Continue baking until lamb is tender, about 2 hours 30 minutes.
• Spread potatoes on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with sea salt. Place in the bottom third of the oven. Bake lamb and potatoes for 30 minutes. Remove lamb and let rest while potatoes finish cooking, about 30 minutes more.
• Combine grated cucumber, mint, oregano, and salt in a bowl. Mix in yogurt until well combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Combine tomatoes, sliced cucumber, sliced red onion, and black olives in a deep-sided dish. Drizzle 3 tablespoons olive oil and red wine vinegar on top. Place feta on top and cover with dried oregano.
• Carve lamb and serve on a big platter. Scoop out vegetables and juices from the roasting pan and add to the platter. Place roasted potatoes, tzatziki, and Greek salad nearby.

Steps:

• Place the rosemary, garlic, oregano, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper in a food processor and process until minced. Add the olive oil and process into a coarse paste. Place the lamb on a sheet pan with the rib ends pointing down and spread the paste evenly on top of both racks. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
• When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Roast the lamb for 25 minutes exactly for medium rare and 30 minutes for medium. Remove from the oven and cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Allow the lamb to rest for 15 minutes. The internal temperature should read about 140 degrees when an instant-read thermometer is inserted sideways into the center of the lamb. Slice between the ribs into individual chops and serve hot or warm with Easy Tzatziki.
• Grate the cucumber by hand on a box grater, as you would grate carrots. Squeeze the cucumber with your hands to remove a lot (but not all) of the liquid. Place in a medium bowl and stir in the yogurt, sour cream, lemon juice, vinegar, dill, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Steps:

• Mash the garlic to a paste with a pestle and mortar. Mix with the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, thyme and bay, and season with a little salt and plenty of pepper. Place the lamb in a large porcelain dish. Pour the marinade over the lamb and massage into the meat. Leave the lamb for at least 1 hr at room temperature, or longer in the fridge, but no longer than overnight or the meat will become too soft.
• To cook the lamb, fire up the barbecue, or heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. To cook on the barbecue, wait for the coals to turn ashen, then lay the lamb on the grill and cook for 15 mins on each side for meat that is pink, or 20 mins on each side for well done. To cook in the oven, place the lamb in a shallow roasting tin and roast for 30 mins for pink or 40 mins for well done, turning the lamb halfway through. Leave the meat to rest for 10 mins before carving.
• Meanwhile, make the tzatziki. Coarsely grate the cucumber, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and squeeze out all the liquid. Tip into a bowl with the yogurt, garlic and mint, and mix well. Carve the lamb into thick slices and serve with the tzatziki wrapped up in warm flatbreads.

Steps:

• In a blender, puree the oil, onion, garlic, dill, lemon juice, zest and oregano. In a baking dish, pour the marinade over the lamb and turn to coat.
• Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
• Make Tzatziki sauce:.
• In a strainer, toss the cucumber with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and let drain for 30 minutes; squeeze dry.
• In a bowl, mix the yogurt, cucumber, dill, zest and garlic; season with salt.
• Serve with the prepared lamb.
• Continue with Lamb:.
• Remove from the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking.
• Light a grill.
• Scrape off the marinade and season the lamb with salt and pepper.
• Grill over moderate heat for 28 minutes, turning once, until medium-rare.
• Transfer to a surface and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Slice the lamb against the grain and serve with tzatziki.

Steps:

• Place the meat in a non-reactive bowl. Mix together the lemon juice, oil, salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon oregano, garlic, and grated onion, and pour over the meat. Cover and chill at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Thread the meat onto metal or bamboo skewers.
• Heat the oil on a griddle or in a large skillet over high heat. Add the onions, remaining teaspoon oregano and Essence to the griddle and cook light brown, about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the pan.
• Preheat a grill. Grill the skewers, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides. Remove from the grill. Quickly heat the pita bread on the grill until just warmed through and pliant. Holding a pita in the left hand, and the skewer in the right hand, pull the contents from the skewer into the pita bread. Repeat with the remaining skewers. Divide the cooked onions among the pita, and top with Tzatziki (cucumber sauce). Serve immediately.
• Put the cucumber in a strainer set over a bowl. Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt and drain for 1 hour. Put the yogurt in another strainer set over a bowl and drain for 1 hour. Combine the cucumber and yogurt in a bowl with the remaining ingredients and stir well. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
• Recipe from New New Orleans Cooking, by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.