Leg of Lamb en Croute

By CheeseDiva

Ingredients

• Ingredients
• ◦ 4 (6 ounce) lamb necks, fillets, trimmed
• ◦ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ◦ 17 1/2 ounces puff pastry
• ◦ 1 egg yolks, whisked with a fork
• ◦ 1 -4 fresh sage leaves, chopped
• Sauce
• ◦ 227 g red currant jelly
• ◦ 7 ounces port wine
• ◦ 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• ROASTED SHALLOT-----
• BALSAMIC VINEGAR SAUCE-----
• 2 c Beef stock
• 1 1/4 c Balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 lb Butter
• cut into small pieces
• 8 Shallots -- roasted
• and finely chopped
• Salt & Pepper (to taste)
• LOIN OF LAMB EN CROUTE-----
• 4 Lamb loins (6 oz each)
• cleaned
• 1 tb Olive oil
• 1 Garlic clove
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tb Olive oil
• 4 Sheets puff pastry
• 2 Red bell peppers, roasted
• peeled, seeded, and
• cut into 1/2″ strips
• 8 oz Feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 c Cooked spinach -- drained
• 1 Egg -- beaten with water
• 1 tb Water (to beat with egg)

Preparation

Step 1

1. Season the lamb well. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry 4 fillets over high heat for 5 minutes until seared on the outside. Remove from the pan and set aside until completely cold.
2. Unravel the pack of pastry on floured surface and cut into 4 rectangles, and roll them out slightly.
3. Brush with egg yolk and sprinkle with sage. Put a lamb fillet on the pastry and fold (like a present). Brush with more egg yolk. Place the parcels, seem side down, on a lightly oiled cookie sheet. Prick the top of each to allow steam to escape.
4. Bake in a preheated 375F oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
To make sauce, melt the jelly in a pan over gentle heat, add the port and rosemary and boil uncovered for 10-12 minutes until syrupy. Cool for 5 minutes to serve.

For Roasted Shallot Balsamic Vinegar Sauce: In a medium saucepan place the
beef stock and balsamic vinegar. Heat them on medium high for 10 to 15
minutes, or until the liquid is reduced to 1/4. While stirring constantly,
add the butter pieces one at a time, and whisk them in so that they are
well incorporated. Add the roasted shallots, salt and pepper. Set aside
while you prepare the lamb. Rub the lamb loins with the 1 tablespoon of
olive oil and garlic clove. Sprinkle them with the salt and the pepper. In
a heavy skillet place the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat it on medium
until it is hot. Sear the lamb on both sides. Cut the puff pastry sheet so
that it is the length of the lamb loin and 2-1/2 times as wide. Place the
lamb in the center of the sheet. Top the lamb with the roasted peppers,
feta cheese, and cooked spinach. Fold one end of the dough over the lamb.
Brush the other side of the pastry with the egg wash and then fold it over
on top of the other pastry end by 2". Cut off the extra dough and reserve
it. Crimp the open ends together with your fingers. Turn the wrapped lamb
over. Make a braid the length of the lamb with the left-over pastry dough.
Brush the top of the dough with the egg wash and place the braid on top.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Bake the wrapped lamb for 12 to 15 minutes, or
until the dough is golden brown. Serve the baked lamb with the Roasted
Shallot Balsamic Vinegar Sauce.