Butterflied Lamb Leg, Cilantro, Chestnut, Prosciutto, Asiago

Total Time: 27 hrs 20 mins Preparation Time: 25 hrs Cook Time: 2 hrs 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 boneless leg of lamb, long leg, butterflied
• 4 garlic cloves, fresh sliced
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, left whole
• kitchen twine, for trussing
• 1/4 cup chestnut puree (not creamed)
• 4 slices prosciutto ham
• 6 slices asiago cheese, cut from the piece using a cheese slicer
• 4 cilantro roots, cut with about 2 inches of stem
• 2 scallions, with greens, chopped
• 1 head garlic, roasted and crushed
• 1 sprig fresh cilantro, leaves, stems and root, chopped
• 1 sprig fresh thyme, leaves only
• 1/2 cup spinach, chopped, fresh baby greens
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, from mill
• 1 cup dry wine
• 1/4 cup avocado oil
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil

Recipe

• 1 prepare the head of garlic: slice top off garlic head; remove loose outer skin.
• 2 drizzle 1 tbsp avocado oil over garlic.
• 3 roast in hot oven, until skin is golden brown.
• 4 allow to cool, then squeeze out roasted cloves, and crush with a fork; the aroma will excite you.
• 5 add to all other marinade ingredients, and blend well; please note total preparation time includes overnight marinating.
• 6 prepare the lamb: pound the lamb to approximately one-half its original thickness; pour marinade over lamb; cover and allow to marinate overnight; turn from time to time, for thorough marination.
• 7 next day: preheat oven to 350 f -.
• 8 remove the lamb from the marinade; gently scrape off marinade vegetables and set aside for future use.
• 9 drain liquid through sieve, and squeeze all juices through; set this liquid aside for deglazing pan; put the marinade vegetables aside to be used for the stuffing.
• 10 stuff the lamb as follows: to the chestnut puree, add one-half the vegetables from the marinade, and mix to blend; you want to create a spreadable "butter"; if necessary, mix in little oil to help the spreading; you may not need it, the herbs will be quite moist.
• 11 "butter" the lamb with chestnut mixture; be sure you use all of this mix.
• 12 lay the prosciutto slices lengthwise on the chestnut mixture; spread out and press down gently.
• 13 lay the 4 whole cilantro roots across the prosciutto, and press down gently.
• 14 lay the asiago slices lengthwise on the cilantro roots and press down gently.
• 15 spread the balance of the marinade vegetables over the asiago slices and press down gently into the cheese.
• 16 starting at the narrow end, roll the meat tightly; tie well with butcher's twine, three or four strings across and one lengthwise to keep the meat together.
• 17 cook the lamb as follows: in 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, saute the sliced garlic until golden brown. discard garlic, you won't be using it again.
• 18 in the oil, and saute pan, brown the rolled lamb on all sides, including the ends; you will have to hold it in place; do not puncture the meat, you will lose flavourful juices.
• 19 tuck in the two sprigs of fresh rosemary under the string and roast in an uncovered pan; discard the rosemary sprigs when the meat has finished roasting. cook prepared lamb in 350f oven about 20 minutes per lb. fully stuffed.
• 20 deglaze the pan in the usual way, using liquid from the marinade.
• 21 slice the rolled lamb with string intact to keep dressing in place; remove the string after slicing meat.