Roasting Lamb on a Bed of Challah Stuffing: The Method
This recipe suggests a layered approach to roasting lamb, placing it atop a prepared bread stuffing. The technique involves initial high-heat searing, followed by a slow, low-temperature roast. The accompanying orange sauce adds a complex, aromatic finish.
The preparation of the stuffing itself requires several preliminary steps. One must cut the bread into chunks and allow them to harden overnight, or toast them slightly beforehand. The softened vegetables—which include celery, carrots, and an onion—are then combined with the bread, eggs, and seasonings such as sage, thyme, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. The mixture needs enough stock to achieve a consistency that is wet but not overly saturated; otherwise, the final stuffing will become too solid and casserole-like.
The cooking process begins by preparing the lamb. The leg of lamb must be coated in salt, pepper, and olive oil, and its exterior should be browned using high heat, such as a gas grill on maximum setting or an oven on max. Once browned, the lamb is placed directly on top of the stuffing, and the entire assembly is then roasted at a low temperature, approximately 250ºF (120ºC). The passage notes that the author pulled their lamb at 130ºF (54ºC), described as medium, which took about 45 minutes.
The orange sauce requires a separate process. Garlic and ginger, along with roughly chopped onion, are sautéed in a pan with the zest and juice of oranges. Cinnamon and cloves are added, followed by one carton of stock. This mixture is brought to a boil and cooked until it has reduced by about half. After straining out the solids, the sauce is thickened using a cornstarch slurry and then adjusted with soy sauce, molasses, vinegar, and seasonings to taste.
Finally, after the lamb is cooked and allowed to rest, the top of the stuffing should be smoothed out, and cooked further if it appears too wet. Just before serving, this top layer is browned under a broiler or grill. The salad greens are dressed separately using lemon juice, olive oil, and seasoning.
Source: Leg of lamb with challah stuffing and orange sauce
