A Deep South Mixture of Homes, Recipes, and History
National Winner - Tobasco Community Cookbook Awards
Ambrosia is a seasonal, culinary tour through antebellum homes and historic settings in the Deep South, an exquisite mixture of prized possessions and favorite recipes spiced by observations and anecdotes of Southern writers.
Your purchase of Ambrosia helps to support volunteer services to children and families by the Junior Auxiliary of Vicksburg, Mississippi.
Leg of Lamb with Mint Pesto
Recipe from:
Ambrosia
by Brenda Ware Jones,Martha Hickman Day,Leslie Criss,Charlie Mitchell,Gordon Cotton Cookbook Heaven at
Recipelink.com
1 (5 to 6 pound) leg of lamb, hip bone removed, rolled and tied by butcher
2 cloves garlic, peeled and slivered into 8 pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
Mint Pesto:
2 1/4 cups packed fresh mint leaves
1 cup packed fresh parsley
1/2 cup walnuts
2 cloves garlic
3/4 to 1 cup olive oil
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
5 teaspoons sugar
Mix salt, pepper, and rosemary. Cut slits into lamb with sharp knife and insert a garlic sliver into each slit. Rub seasoning mixture over all surfaces of the lamb. Brush with olive oil. Place leg, top side up, on a roasting pan fitted with a wire rack. let stand for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to lowest level and heat oven to 450 degress F. Roast lamb for 10 mintues. Grasp shank bone with paper towels and flip leg over and continue roasting. turn leg every 20 mintues until an instant-read thermometer inserted in several locations registers 130 to 135 degrees, about 60 to 80 minutes. Remove leg from oven and cover with foil. Let stand for 20 minutes before carving. Serve with Mint Pesto.
Mint Pesto:
Combine mint, parsley, walnuts, and garlic in bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade. Process to a paste. Gradually add olive oil through feed tube and process until smooth. Add lime juice, sugar, and salt. Process to combine. Serve immediately or store in refrigerator in airtight container.
