We love being invited to our friends Susan and Matt’s apartment for dinner. They are both great hosts. Susan always does a terrific job making special recipes, Matt always serves a wonderful single malt Scotch and our conversations are topical and stimulating, often revolving around politics. Susan worked closely for a state senator for many years and really knows the ins and outs of the system. This past week, we were invited there along with some old friends of theirs and Susan made the most amazing leg of lamb.
It was Herb and Honey Mustard Crusted Leg of Lamb from the September issue of Food and Wine magazine. But listen to this story – this is the great thing about living near an old fashioned butcher. The recipe calls for a boneless or butterflied leg of lamb, seasoned with the mustard paste, rolled and tied back up to form a roast, and then to put the bone back in the one end so it looks pretty. Her butcher, Frank at Ottomanelli on York Avenue and 82nd St. would be happy to butterfly it, but then she was nervous about tying it back up. No worries, Frank told her to bring her herb mustard mixture in to the store and he would spread it all around on the inside, salt and pepper it, and tie it back up all pretty, making a gorgeous roast and putting the decorative bone back in. Isn’t that the sweetest? So she arrived home all set to put this baby in the oven. Done!
TIP: I have found that most butchers in independent shops love to offer to do this type of work. They take ownership in their work, have a lot of pride in what they do and want to be a part of your meal. So next time, let them know what you’re trying to do and just ask!
Now I stupidly neglected to take a picture of the whole roast but here’s one of Matt cutting Susan’s beautiful and scrumptious leg of lamb.
Here’s her gorgeous plate.
And here’s the recipe for the delicious tomatoes. You know I love anchovies!!
TOMATOES NICOISE – from The New York Times by David Tanis
1 small shallot, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, grated
Salt
Pepper
2 tbs. red wine vinegar
3 tbs. olive oil
8 anchovies fillets, 2 finely chopped and 6 for garnish
2 tbs. roughly chopped black nicoise or oil cured olives, plus olives for garnish
6 small red tomatoes
12 cherry tomatoes in assorted colors
1 tbs. small capers, rinsed
12 basil leaves
Make the vinaigrette: Put shallot, garlic, salt, pepper and vinegar in small bowl. Macerate 10 minutes, then whisk in oil, chopped anchovies and chopped olives
Slice red tomatoes thickly and place on platter in one layer. Season with salt and pepper. Season cherry tomatoes with salt and dress with vinaigrette. Spoon cherry tomatoes over tomato slices.
Top each tomato slice with half an anchovy fillet, sprinkle with capers. Garnish with basil leaves and whole olives.
Serve at cool room temperature.
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How’d it work out?
Our butchers here will do the same thing. We live in an area of about 300,000 people and probably have 12 butchers in addition to the supermarket ones. I love the roast and the tomatoes sound yummy.
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef recently posted…Date Loaf Cake
A proud, great butcher is one to behold or kiss or whatever!
The lamb looks perfect and the tomatoes are a perfect accompaniment. It’s such a good thing to make use of artisan butchers whilst they still exist:)
Roger Stowell recently posted…The relief of La Moussiere……
Totally!! I hope they’re not a dying breed.
I’m very lucky to have one of the old fashioned butchers right around the corner from here. He’s wonderful — but he and his partner are getting old, unlike you and I who never age. He’ll retire some day and I don’t see anyone in training to take over. We’ll see ..
This lamb looks perfectly cooked. It must have been a pleasure to carve and I’m sure you all enjoyed it greatly.
ChgoJohn recently posted…Tart Cherry Frozen Yogurt
Ha! Yes, WE never age!!
The lamb was fantastic!
The lamb looks fantastic!
yummychunklet recently posted…ffwD: Floating Islands
It was – most definitely!
omg, if this isn’t the most perfect supper!
You have that right!!!
Butchering is such a skill and it’s great when they take pride in their work too and I know that I definitely love it when they can help out! 😀
Totally!! We need more young people to enter the field.
This looks beautiful. I do love rare lamb… and good food is always so much better when it’s eaten in the company of wonderful friends and/or family. The tomatoes nicoise sound divine too!
laurasmess recently posted…Slow-roasted Lamb with White Wine, Lemon and Herbs
Thanks Laura – from Susan! Your lamb looks amazing and I just recently cooked two recipes from the Jerusalem cookbook that were fantastic! A chicken dish with cardamon rice and the spinach salad with dates here on the blog which was wonderful!
I love lamb cooked this way. How lovely of the butcher to help you out. I have a butcher just a short walk from where I live who always goes the extra mile too. Once I bought 20 spatchcocks and he offered to butterfly them for me – saved me hours! xx
Hotly Spiced recently posted…SIMS Harbour Hike
Wow – you must have been having some huge party!! Good butchers are the BEST!!
That is a butcher I would support! And a good single malt must have gone wonderfully with those tomatoes 🙂
Tandy | Lavender and Lime recently posted…Sourdough Chocolate Cherry Cake Recipe
You’re so right Tandy!!
What a gorgeous meal, the lamb looks amazing! I love Ottomanelli’s, when I lived in the west villiage I used to frequent the shop there. They are completely customer service oriented and love pleasing their customers. What a lovely meal with great friends.
apuginthekitchen recently posted…Loobiya Pollo
It was so lovely. I’m still remembering it!