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Leg of lamb and the best tomatoes

September 2, 2013 by Mary Frances 20 Comments

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!Carving Herb and Honey Mustard Crusted Leg of Lamb on a wooden cutting board in a NYC apartment.

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.Dinner plate with Leg of Lamb, Nicoise tomatoes, haricot vert, and roasted potatoes.

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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Filed Under: Dinner, Meat, Sides Tagged With: butchers, Food and Wine magazine, herb and honey mustard crusted leg of lamb, leg of lamb, Ottomanelli on York and 82nd St., The New York Times, tomatoes nicoise

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Comments

  1. Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says

    September 2, 2013 at 9:25 PM

    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 CakeMy Profile

    Reply
    • Mary Frances says

      September 5, 2013 at 11:48 PM

      A proud, great butcher is one to behold or kiss or whatever!

      Reply
  2. Roger Stowell says

    September 3, 2013 at 2:33 AM

    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……My Profile

    Reply
    • Mary Frances says

      September 5, 2013 at 11:49 PM

      Totally!! I hope they’re not a dying breed.

      Reply
  3. ChgoJohn says

    September 3, 2013 at 9:58 PM

    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 YogurtMy Profile

    Reply
    • Mary Frances says

      September 5, 2013 at 11:50 PM

      Ha! Yes, WE never age!!

      The lamb was fantastic!

      Reply
  4. yummychunklet says

    September 3, 2013 at 9:59 PM

    The lamb looks fantastic!
    yummychunklet recently posted…ffwD: Floating IslandsMy Profile

    Reply
    • Mary Frances says

      September 5, 2013 at 11:51 PM

      It was – most definitely!

      Reply
  5. The Squishy Monster says

    September 5, 2013 at 4:48 PM

    omg, if this isn’t the most perfect supper!

    Reply
    • Mary Frances says

      September 5, 2013 at 11:51 PM

      You have that right!!!

      Reply
  6. Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says

    September 5, 2013 at 5:26 PM

    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! 😀

    Reply
    • Mary Frances says

      September 5, 2013 at 11:52 PM

      Totally!! We need more young people to enter the field.

      Reply
  7. laurasmess says

    September 5, 2013 at 8:07 PM

    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 HerbsMy Profile

    Reply
    • Mary Frances says

      September 6, 2013 at 12:01 AM

      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!

      Reply
  8. Hotly Spiced says

    September 5, 2013 at 11:08 PM

    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 HikeMy Profile

    Reply
    • Mary Frances says

      September 6, 2013 at 12:02 AM

      Wow – you must have been having some huge party!! Good butchers are the BEST!!

      Reply
  9. Tandy | Lavender and Lime says

    September 6, 2013 at 2:25 AM

    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 RecipeMy Profile

    Reply
    • Mary Frances says

      September 21, 2013 at 6:44 PM

      You’re so right Tandy!!

      Reply
  10. apuginthekitchen says

    September 7, 2013 at 5:39 PM

    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 PolloMy Profile

    Reply
    • Mary Frances says

      September 21, 2013 at 6:45 PM

      It was so lovely. I’m still remembering it!

      Reply

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