St. Patrick’s Day is coming soon and I had a request for a more non-traditional menu. These recipes embrace some of the bounty of Irish food. And make no mistake, Ireland is becoming a destination on the culinary map these days.
Rotisserie Leg of Lamb
Ingredients
One 4 lb boneless leg of lamb
One head of garlic
4 or 5 sprigs of fresh rosemary
1/4 cup of olive oil
2 TB Dijon mustard
1 TB sea salt
1 tsp white pepper
Method
Trim the lamb of any silverskin and large pockets of fat. A little fat left on won’t hurt anything and will help baste the lamb. You can either cut off the top of the garlic head and roast it rubbed in olive oil and wrapped inside foil at 350 F for an hour, or you can use the cloves. If you roast it, squeeze out the garlic and rub it over the lamb. If you use the raw cloves, make slits in the lamb and put the cloves in the pockets. Chop rosemary leaves finely. Whisk the olive oil, mustard, salt and pepper with the rosemary. Rub the mixture over the entire leg of lamb. Preheat the rotisserie grill over low heat and allow the lamb to sit out, with the marinade on it to come to room temperature and absorb some of the flavors. Attach the lamb to the rotisserie according to manufacturer’s directions and roast for an hour and a half to two hours, basting with any remaining marinade.
Roasted Potatoes and Shallots
Ingredients
2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes
1 lb of large shallots
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
4 TB olive oil
Method
Preheat oven to 350 F. Quarter the potatoes. Peel the shallots and leave them whole. Place the potatoes and shallots in a baking dish and add the remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Roast for about 45 minutes or until golden and the shallots are soft and begin to caramelize.
Minted Puree of Peas
2 packages of frozen baby peas, or 24 oz of fresh peas
2 TB butter
One bunch of fresh mint
1/2 tsp of sea salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp of pepper
2 – 4 oz of chicken stock
In a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the peas, and if frozen, let most of the liquid evaporate. When the peas are heated through, put them in the food processor and pulse just until they are pureed. If the mixture is too thick, add a little chicken stock. Salt and pepper to taste. Chiffonade the mint (roll up leaves and cut with a very sharp knife into thin strips) and add to the peas in the serving bowl, stirring to combine.
