Stuffed Leg of Lamb with Balsamic-Fig-Basil Sauce is an amazing recipe that uses currants and plums tossed with almonds. This lamb is perfect to be relished on festivals and holidays. The recipe makes use of the exotic flavors that find their origins in the basil. The sauce is quite flavorful with the figs and honey bringing in a sweetness variant and the vinegar balancing it with acidity. The garlic pods infused in the lamb adds makes every bit of the meat flavorful that you cannot help but go for a second serving.
Health Benefits
Lamb is rich in iron in a form that can be easily absorbed by human body.
Ingredients
cup currants: 1/4
cup prunes — chopped: 1/2
tbsp rosemary — minced: 1 1/2
tbsp crème de cassis: 2
tbsp thyme — chopped finely: 1 1/2
tsp salt: 1 `1/4
tsp coriander — ground: 1/2
tsp black pepper — ground: 1
cup almonds — roasted, salted, and chopped: 1/2
lbs lamb boneless leg —rolled and tied: 4
garlic cloves — cut into pieces (1/3): 3
tbsp fresh mint — chopped: 2
tbsp olive oil: 2
tbsp butter: 5
cup balsamic vinegar: 1/2
cup Calimyrna figs — sliced and stemmed: 1/3
tbsp honey: 3
mint leaves: 6
basil leaves: 6
tsp basil — chopped fresh: 5
How To Make Stuffed Leg of Lamb with Balsamic-Fig-Basil Sauce
- Preheat the oven to 200°C. Add the currants and prunes with crème de cassis on a bowl. Keep aside.
- Add thyme, rosemary, salt, coriander, pepper, and salt. Keep aside.
- Untie the lamb and unroll it, placing it on a flat surface. Remove the excess fat and prepare it well so it is uniformly thick. Cut open the thick parts and ensure it is roughly rectangular.
- Sprinkle half of the herb mixon the meat. Add the mint and almonds to the prune mix and spread it over the lamb evenly.
- Roll up from the short side and at 1-inch intervals, tie it with kitchen twine. Cut 9 slits on the lamb top each of them being roughly 1 inch deep. Insert garlic slices in each of the slits.
- Rub some olive oil and sprinkle the remaining herb preparation. Place the prepared meat in a roasting pan with the seam-side upwards. Roast in the oven.
- When a thermometer placed inside the central portion reads about 60°C, remove the lamb and cover it with foil. Let it rest for 15 minutes.
- Boil some balsamic vinegar on a high flame. When the vinegar reduces to half, add honey, butter, and figs while stirring. Allow the butter to melt while stirring continuously. Remove from the flame and add basil while stirring. Keep aside.
- Remove the twine and cut it into slices about ½ inch thick. Place them on a warm serving platter and add some fig sauce. Garnish with some basil and mint leaves.
You could use aluminum foil to keep the meat moist and ensure that it is evenly cooked.
Trivia
Stuffed Leg of Lamb with Balsamic-Fig-Basil Sauce uses the famous Cassis liqueur which is used to make several popular cocktails. It is also served post dinner and has a sharp blackcurrant flavor.