boneless leg of lamb

Food & Wine Pairing- Dancing Bear Ranch Cabernet with Grilled Leg of Lamb

26 Jul 2010
Sippity Sup prepares a stuffed leg of lamb

I was recently invited to a small dinner with Dennis Cakebread of Cakebread Cellars. I know, close your mouth, I was equally shocked.

Now, I don’t want to fall all over myself but I do consider Cakebread to be a benchmark California winery. They have an iconic Chardonnay that may be the very definition of a California Chard. But frankly it is their reds that really get my attention. Big, sweetly-oaked Pinot Noirs, abundantly aromatic Syrahs and elegant, well-balanced Cabs that are nicely acidic.

Many of the styles and trends (for better or worse…) we associate with California wines began because pioneers like the Cakebread family saw the potential of the California climate and terroir of the Napa valley.

Still, I am not here to discuss California wine styles. That’s not what I do. That's not my thing.

But I do want to talk about what to serve with this excellent wine. And make no mistake it is an excellent wine with a price point to match. So whatever recipe we develop needs to be equally special.

Sippity Sup Continues »
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Grilled Boneless Leg of Lamb Stuffed with Olive Tapenade

Sippity Sup prepares Grilled Boneless Leg of Lamb Stuffed with Olive Tapenade
By jgreghenry Published July 23, 2010
Prep time: 90
Yield:1 ()

Ingredients:

  • 1.25 c black kalamata olives with pits, yielding 1 packed cup of olive meat
  • 0.25 c olive oil
  • 2 t lemon juice
  • 0 clv garlic, thinly sliced
  • 2 T chopped fresh rosemary leaves
  • 0 fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 t lemon zest, from a microplane grater
  • 2 t orange zest, in long thin strips
  • 4 lb boneless leg of lamb

Directions

Remove pits from olives. Place the olives, olive oil, lemon juice and lemon zest in a mini food processor and process until a paste is formed. Transfer to a clean container and refrigerate until needed. Will keep three to four weeks. This recipe makes more than you will need. Stuff the lamb: Unroll the lamb and spread the boned-out side with 1/2 cup of the olive tapenade. Sprinkle the orange zest on top. Roll up the lamb tightly, returning it to as close to the original shape as possible. Tie it at 2-inch intervals with kitchen twine. With a small, sharp knife, cut slits 2 or 3 inches apart in the top of the roast. Push the garlic slices into the slits. Sprinkle the roast all over with the rosemary, salt, and pepper. Wrap the lamb tightly in several layers of plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 3 days ideally, but not less than1 day. Prepare a charcoal grill with two areas of heat, direct and indirect. Place the tied up lamb onto the grates over the flame. It will sputter and flare up so watch it carefully. Grill it turning often to achieve charring on all sides. Move the lamb to the low, indirect heat portion of the grate and cook with a closed grill about 1 hour until 120 degrees F. is achieved internally. Remove the lamb to a tray and cover loosely with foil. Let the meat rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

Notes:

serves 6 Source: Cook and Be Merry & Laurent Tourondel