Ras El Hanout Leg of Lamb
I've told you once, I've told you twice... I LOVE LAMB! It's one of my favorite proteins, and leg of lamb delivers on both texture and flavor. You can do a long braise to result in falling apart meat, but I am more of a fan of a juicy medium rare with a perfect rosy pink interior. Drooling yet?
Pair that with the Moroccan Ras El Hanout spice blend and you are in for a game changing meal. While there's many variations, this blend usually incorporates the usual suspects of North African cuisine. Check below for a blend that includes 13 spices resulting in a perfect flavor enhancer for gamey leg of lamb.
On top of that, we're making this a complete meal with a Saffron Coconut Milk Rice Pilav. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS:
5-7 lbs leg of lamb
1 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp coriander seed
1 tsp mustard seed
1 tsp fennel seed
1 tsp whole black peppercorn
4 green cardamom pods
1 star anise
2 cloves
2 small bay leaves
1/5 stick cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground ginger
1 TBSP Kosher salt
1/3 can coconut milk
2 cloves minced garlic
2 TBSP minced parsley
2 cups basmati rice
Large pinch saffron threads
1 TBSP ghee
1 small onion, minced
3 green cardamom pods
1/2 stick cinnamon
1 clove
1 star anise
1/4 cup raisins
1 bay leaf
2 in ginger
2/3 can coconut milk
2 cups chicken stock
1 tsp Kosher salt
4 TBSP minced parsley
Score the leg of lamb in a crosshatch pattern using a sharp knife.
To a pan, add cumin seeds, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, whole black peppercorns, green cardamom pods, star anise, cloves, bay leaves, and some cinnamon stick. Toast the spices for about 2 minutes until fragrant. Grind the spices in a pestle & mortar or a spice blender into a semi fine powder. Add the spices to a small bowl along with nutmeg, turmeric, ground ginger, Kosher salt, and coconut milk. Mix to fully combine.
Pour the spice mixture over the lamb and distribute evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and place the lamb in the fridge to marinate for a minimum of 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
After you’ve let the lamb marinate, remove the plastic wrap and place it into a preheated 350F oven. Be sure to place the meat in cold so that the exterior has a chance to caramelize without over cooking the interior. Cook for about 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 hours until the thickest part of the leg reads 130F. That’s a perfect medium rare.
Rinse 2 cups of basmati rice until the water runs clear. Place a pinch of saffron threads in a small cup of warm water and let it bloom for about 5 minutes. In a medium saucepan, sweat 1 small onion in a tablespoon of ghee or butter until translucent and slightly browned. Add in cardamom pods, a cinnamon stick, a clove, and one star anise and toast the spices for 1 minute. Add in the rice, raisins, a bay leaf, and ginger. Mix to coat the rice with the butter and toast for 1 minute. Add chicken stock to the coconut milk for a total of 4 cups of liquid. Pour in the stock along with the saffron liquid and add in some Kosher salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer over high heat. Once to the simmer, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes and the turn off the heat. Let sit for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
