Many thanks to Andrew Mershon of the OREGONIAN newspaper, Portland, Oregon for this version of:

Lamb and Honey Cordoba

If your butcher prepares the boned and trimmed leg for you, be sure to salvage the bones and sirloin meat from the top of the full leg. The meat can be used for kebabs or stew, and the bones used to make lamb stock for the sauce.

Green beans make a colorful accompaniment to this hearty dish.


Lamb:

1 heaping teaspoon garlic pepper (see note)
1 teaspoon mild paprika
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of ground cumin
1 6 pound leg of lamb, boned, butterflied and trimmed to about 3 to 3-1/2 pounds (see note)

Sauce

2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 large green bell pepper, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup prepared or homemade lamb stock (recipe follows)
Piece of browned rib bone, optional, if available
1-1/2 cups amontillado sherry, plus additional (see note)
1 thread saffron or pinch of ground saffron
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup honey
Hot cooked white rice

To prepare lamb: Mix together garlic pepper, papricka, nutmeg and cumin. Apply half of mioxture to inside of butterflied lamb leg; tie leg into a roll and apply remaining spice mixture to outside. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Prepare sauce while meat is marinating.

To make lamb stock: Brown bones in a 400-degree oven with 2 onions, quartered;l 2 carrots, cut in 2-inch lengths; and 2 to 3 ribs of celery, cut in 2-inch lengths. Bake in oven until well-browned. Transfer the bones and vegetables to a stock pot. Deglaze the roasting pan with water, about 1 cup. Pour the deglazing water over the bones and add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 3 hours. Skim the surface from time to time. Strain the stock and discard solids. Cool, cover and refrigerate. When cold, remove the fat that covers the surface. Freeze the leftover stock.

To prepare sauce: Saute onions and pepper in olive oil until onions are translucent. Add lamb stock, browned bone, if available, 1-1/2 cups of amontillado and saffron. Bring mixture to as boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove bone, strain sauce, pressing vegetables lightly to extract liquid. Add more sherry if needed to bring to 3 cups. Regrigerate.

To complete dish: Bring rolled and spiced lamb to room temperature, roast in preheated 325-degree oven until meat is rare to medium-rare (about 145 to 150 degrees on meat thermometer) or 160 degrees for medium, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, reheat strained sauce. About 25 minutes before roast is ready, begin basting with the honey sauce. Baste two or three times. Remove from oven and let rest 15 minutes before slicing.
Serve sliced lamb on bed of white rice, top each serving with small amount of sauce and serve additional sauce at table.
note: Garlic pepper is a spice blend available under the Schilling label.
Note: Amontillado is a Spanish sherry available at large wine departments in supermarkets.

Per serving: