Ingredients
- 2 lbs leg of lamb, bone removed
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 cup of mint leaves
- 2 tsp of sea salt
- 1/4 cup of olive oil
- 1/8 cup of lemon juice
- 1 cup of cous cous
- 1/4 cup of dried currants
- 1/4 cup of pinenuts, toasted
- 1 cup of vegetable stock
- 1 tsp of curry powder
- 1 Tbsp of olive oil
- Salt & pepper for seasoning
Cucumber Sauce Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups of natural yogurt
- 1/2 cucumber, peeled
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1/4 tsp of sea salt
- 1/2 cup of lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp of chopped mint
- 1 Tbsp of chopped cilantro
Directions
Prepare the marinade by grounding the garlic, mint, cumin, salt and paprika with a mortar and pestle. Alternatively you can use a food processor. Ground ingredients into a paste and then add the olive oil and lemon juice. Mix well.
Make little incisions in the lamb and then coat it well with the marinade. Make sure you coat the inside and outside of the lamb thoroughly.
Place lamb in a bowl and cover. Place it in the fridge for at least two hours or even overnight.
Remove the lamb from the fridge one hour prior to cooking. Pre-heat the oven to 350F.
Place the lamb in a baking dish and roast for 1 hour and 20 minutes for pink meat. Roast the lamb for an extra 20 minutes for medium to well-done meat.
Meanwhile, prepare the cucumber sauce. Mix together the yogurt, cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, mint and cilantro. Add the salt and mix well. Set aside.
Prepare the cous cous about 20 minutes before serving the lamb. Bring the vegetable stock to a boil in small pot. Remove the pot from the heat and add the couscous. Cover and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl.
Add 1 Tbsp of olive oil to the couscous. Stir well with a fork. Add the curry powder and stir again. Next, add a pinch of salt.
Add the raisins and pinenuts to the couscous and stir with the fork.
Remove the lamb when ready and slice it. Spoon some of the liquid from the pan onto the lamb. Serve on a bed of cous cous and spoon the yogurt sauce on top.
Gianluca Paris is the Executive Chef and owner of Luca’s Mediterranean Café, a fine dining restaurant, The Market at Luca’s, offering light bistro style fare and gourmet take out and Luca's Culinary Journey Catering in Keene, New Hampshire, where he lives with his wife Lindy and his two children. He is the recipient of many accolades, including “Excellence in Dining” and “Best Service/Wait staff” every year since 2002 from Market Surveys of America, along with “Best Mediterranean Restaurant,” “Best Fine Dining Restaurant,” “Best Caterer in New Hampshire,” and, for four years, “Best Restaurant in the Monadnock Region” from New Hampshire Magazine.