Whether you’re looking for a new weeknight favourite or need an elevated dish to serve your dinner guests, celebrate with the flavours of this delicious New Zealand Spring Lamb short cut Leg with Stuffed Onions and Gravy. Keep reading below for exactly just what you will need to make this delicious roast lamb recipe perfect:
Ingredients
- 1 New Zealand Spring Lamb® bone-in shortcut leg, fresh or frozen, thawed in refrigerator overnight if frozen
- 8 small red or white onions
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 3 tbsp salted butter, softened
- 4 garlic cloves, finely minced (3 for lamb, 1 for onion mixture)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1 tbsp red currant jelly
- 1 -1 1/2 cups vegetable stock, heated
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Stuffed Onions
These stuffed onions are an absolute game-changer when it comes to dinner. Peeling and carefully hollowing out the onions may seem meticulous, but the end result is well worth the effort. The mixture of Parmesan cheese, minced garlic, and butter creates a stuffing that perfectly complements the sweetness of the onions. As they roast alongside the lamb, the onions absorb the savoury juices, creating a harmonious blend of flavours that will leave your guests craving more.
- First peel and take a thin sliver off the base so they sit squarely. Next, cut the tops off. With a small spoon, hollow out onions to about halfway down, keeping the outer 2 layers completely intact.
- Finely chop the onion that has been removed and place 2 tbsp of it in a bowl with 1 of the minced garlic cloves, as well as parmesan cheese, and butter. Be sure to mix thoroughly. Finally, stuff the onions with the mixture and set aside.
Lamb
- To cook lamb, preheat your oven to 450°F (230°F) and remove the shortcut lamb leg from the refrigerator- be sure to pat it dry and let sit for 30-45 minutes to bring it up to room temperature.
- Next, mix thyme, 3 minced garlic cloves, and olive oil together. With the tip of a sharp knife, score the fat on all sides of the leg by making shallow cuts (about 1” long) and pour the olive oil mixture all over the lamb, rubbing into the grooves made by scoring the fat.
- 1- Be sure to season the leg generously with salt & pepper and place the prepared lamb in a large roasting pan or enamel pot and roast for 30 minutes. (To enhance this recipe, use the tips above).
- 2- Finally, remove the lamb from the oven and place the stuffed onions in a roasting pan surrounding the lamb. Place the roasting pan back into the oven and drop the temperature down to 350°F (175°C). Continue cooking until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the meat (avoiding the bone) reads 140-145°F, about 1-1½ hours, for a rosy pink Medium doneness.
- 3- Achieving the perfect doneness for your lamb is crucial for a memorable dining experience. Once it reaches the desired internal temperature (140-145°F (63-65°C), allow it to rest on a serving platter. While the lamb rests, it will continue to cook a little and its internal temperature will rise a few more degrees. This crucial step ensures that the lamb remains juicy, succulent, and ready to be enjoyed at its flavourful best.
- 4- Remove lamb and onions from the oven and place on a serving platter. Tent the platter with foil and let rest while making the gravy. (Tip: Tenting the platter with foil retains the heat and ensures that the lamb is served at the optimum temperature.)
Gravy
A great gravy has everything to do with what was cooked in the pan and this roast is going to knock yours out of the park. The gravy acts as the crowning glory of this recipe, bringing all the flavors together in a rich and velvety sauce.First, place the roasting pan, with all the fat and juices, on the stove over medium-high heat. Scrape up the drippings from the bottom of the pan and add flour in order to make a roux – cook the roux for about 3 minutes.
- Deglaze the pan with red wine, again, scraping up all the bits from the bottom of the pan. (This process of deglazing the pan with red wine not only adds depth but also captures the essence of the roasted lamb). Be sure to scrape up all the flavorful bits from the bottom of the pan when making the roux, as this will contribute to the complexity of the gravy.
- Slowly add the hot vegetable stock while stirring. Add red currant jelly and bring the temperature down to low. Simmer until desired consistency is achieved. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a small serving bowl or gravy boat and serve with the lamb and onions.
