Sunday, April 24

Tequila Lime Leg of Lamb

I won't lie to you.  This one's really easy.  It's one of those dishes most of your guest would assume you labored through in the kitchen.  Oftentimes, I get tempted to agree -- that I did sweat away and lost an entire morning cooking my labor of love -- but quite frankly, the inner angel in me succumbs to telling the truth.  I wish I had the guts to do so otherwise!
Okay, so first things first.  I color code my prep bowls/containers, chopping boards, and what have yous in my kitchen.  It's just one of those things I get pretty anal about because I worry about cross-contamination and food poisoning all the time.  I've spent years in the industry trying to share the gospel of food safety and how this is one of the most important life lessons one can learn that not only benefits ones self, but the entire restaurant - in my case now, the family!  

Use RED for raw meats, YELLOW for cooked meats, WHITE for dairy products (like cheese) and bread, BLUE for raw fish, GREEN for vegetables and fruits, and last but not the least, BROWN for raw and root vegetables (grown in soil).
Now back to the lamb, rub the leg with Dijon mustard (I used the ones with whole grains for texture).  Then add generous amounts (about 4 Tablespoons each) of Bill Byron's Tequila Lime Rub and Texas Jack number 2 and allow to chill in the fridge overnight, covered in cling wrap of course.
Place in a roasting tray lined with a trivet.  I poured a bottle of San Miguel Cerveza Negra and a glass of water so that the drippings won't get to dry and instead, will cook away as part of the jus (drippings).  Right before plopping it in the pre-heated oven of 180 degrees celcius, I put 2 to 3 knobs (I know, it's so sinful!) of salted butter.  Roast 2.5 kilos of meat for about 1.5 hours.  Baste with butter and drippings from time-to-time.