Rosemary Roasted Leg of Lamb with Tri-Color Potatoes

Of the bijillion hours (or so it seems) I’ve spent happily cooking, this is only the second time in my life I’ve cooked lamb. The first time was last Christmas requested by my cousin Dax and was possible thanks to my very dear friend Lorena who patiently coached me through it, taking my multiple frantic calls on Christmas Eve. The results (after panic subsided that I was either burning it or potentially serving it raw) exceeded my expectations and encouraged me to try again, this time venturing with seasonings.
As will all meat I purchase, I buy organic. Yes it’s crazy expensive, but this is a once, maybe twice a year expense.
The secret to lamb, Lorena taught me, is to trim ALL the fat off.

I like (surprise! after all there is a reason this food blog is Color My Food) color in my food first because it’s pretty and second because color generally means more nutrients, so I looked for the multi-colored potatoes and was glad to find them. My second option was to use 1 1/2 pound diced russet potatoes mixed with 1 1/2 pound diced sweet potatoes.

Rosemary Roasted Leg of Lamb with Tri-Color Potatoes
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Servings
8 servings
Servings
8 servings
Rosemary Roasted Leg of Lamb with Tri-Color Potatoes
Print Recipe
Servings
8 servings
Servings
8 servings
Ingredients
Adjust servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 475°F.
  2. Zest the two lemons.
  3. Mix zest in a small bowl with 4 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary, 2 tablespoons minced garlic, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper.
  4. Place leg of lamb in roasting pan. Cut slits all over lamb and rub rosemary mixture over lamb, rubbing into slits.
  5. Place leg of lamb into oven for 20 minutes.
  6. Meanwhile, cut potatoes in half.
  7. Mix 2 tablespoons chopped rosemary, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 tablespoon oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle over potatoes and mix.
  8. Turn heat down to 350°F. Remove lamb from oven and place potatoes around lamb. Put back in oven and roast 40 – 50 minutes, stirring potatoes occasionally, until meat thermometer registers 140°F
  9. Remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes.
  10. Transfer lamb to a cutting board and slice thin across the grain. Place on serving platter, surround with potatoes and garnish with parsley or a few rosemary sprigs.
Recipe Notes

A Color My food recipe

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Sweet Potato and Poblano Pepper Salad

Oh la la the contrasts in this dish: color, texture, sweet and spicy. Now here’s a potato salad I love!

Add the black beans and it’s robust and filling enough to be a main entree.

I serve it at room temperature. You can make it a day ahead. If so (the dressing gets absorbed over night), mix 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar with 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and toss again before serving.

It’s very popular at our summer dinner parties. I like to serve it with pork tenderloin (grilled or roasted), a quinoa pilaf and a green salad. Vegetarians/vegans can skip the pork and still have a well-balanced, delicious meal.

It also pairs well with grilled chicken.

Sweet potatoes are rich in cartenoids, orange, yellow or red-colored fat soluble compounds that protect plants from sun damage while they help them attract birds and bees for pollination. Cartenoids help protect us from free radicals, modulate our immune response, enhance cell-to-cell communication and play a major role in protecting the skin and eyes from damaging effects of ultraviolet light. Foods rich in cartenoids have been linked to a host of health-promoting and disease-fighting activities. They have been shown to decrease the risk of various cancers, including lung, colon, bladder, cervical, breast and skin.
Superfoods RX: Fourteen Foods that Will Change Your Life, Steven Pratt, MD and Kathy Matthews

 

Sweet Potato and Poblano Pepper Salad
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Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Sweet Potato and Poblano Pepper Salad
Print Recipe
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Ingredients
Dressing
Salad
Adjust servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. For the dressing: Mix everything (vinegar, honey, water, rosemary, onion, mustard) except extra-virgin olive oil in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  2. If organic, simply scrub the sweet potatoes. If not organic, peel sweet potatoes. Cut sweet potato into bite-size pieces and place in a pot with a steamer basket, cover and cook over medium heat for 6 - 8 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender. Run under cold water and drain.
  3. Cut poblano pepper in half, remove seeds and cut into bite size pieces. Place in a bowl, add cooled sweet potatoes, black beans (if using) and onion in large bowl and toss.
  4. Add parsley and drizzle dressing; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Recipe Notes

Modified from

Epicurious: Sweet Potato and Poblanos Salad with Honey and Rosemary

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Tuscan Salmon with Rosemary Orzo

Tuscan Salmon with Rosemary Orzo
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The flavors and textures in this recipe are visually and tastefully delightful. Serve with a salad of immune boosting seeds/nuts, a chopped green onion or two and greens (spinach, romaine or arugula) tossed with a lime or apple cider vinaigrette and dinner is ready. “Fish is high in important vitamins such as B1 (thiamine), B2 (niacin) and D as well as omega 3 fatty acids. Salmon is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. It is believed that omega 3 fatty acids reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease by increasing the levels of “good” cholesterol and lowering the levels of “bad cholesterol in the body. They’ve been found to prevent blood clots and there is evidence that omega 3 fatty acids help relieve symptoms of arthritis.” Nutrition for Life, Lisa Hark PhD and Darwin Deen, MD. Sadly, increasingly there are health dilemmas associated with eating fish, in particular farmed fish. “Farmed fish are fed fish meal and fish oils because they need proteins and fats to help them grow (wild salmon get the nutrients they need by eating other fish which are small and relatively low in chemical contaminants); but these feeds contain higher concentrations of pollutants called PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls)…Farmed fish have twice the fat and more than twice the saturated fat of their wild counterparts – increasing the levels of PBCs... Their omega-3 content depends entirely on what they are fed and this varies by species and farm. “ To learn more about PBCs “which are a “probable carcinogen visit http://www.clearwater.org/news/pcbhealth.html I believe it is important to be a conscious consumer and in regards to fish, choose to know where the fish comes from, whether is it is farmed or wild., not just for our health but also for that of the fish and the planet. We can make a difference by relying on a fish advisory card (link to http://www.seafoodwatch.org/consumers/seafood-and-your-health) and voting with our forks to only buy fish that is sustainable and healthy.
Tuscan Salmon with Rosemary Orzo
Print Recipe
The flavors and textures in this recipe are visually and tastefully delightful. Serve with a salad of immune boosting seeds/nuts, a chopped green onion or two and greens (spinach, romaine or arugula) tossed with a lime or apple cider vinaigrette and dinner is ready. “Fish is high in important vitamins such as B1 (thiamine), B2 (niacin) and D as well as omega 3 fatty acids. Salmon is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. It is believed that omega 3 fatty acids reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease by increasing the levels of “good” cholesterol and lowering the levels of “bad cholesterol in the body. They’ve been found to prevent blood clots and there is evidence that omega 3 fatty acids help relieve symptoms of arthritis.” Nutrition for Life, Lisa Hark PhD and Darwin Deen, MD. Sadly, increasingly there are health dilemmas associated with eating fish, in particular farmed fish. “Farmed fish are fed fish meal and fish oils because they need proteins and fats to help them grow (wild salmon get the nutrients they need by eating other fish which are small and relatively low in chemical contaminants); but these feeds contain higher concentrations of pollutants called PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls)…Farmed fish have twice the fat and more than twice the saturated fat of their wild counterparts – increasing the levels of PBCs... Their omega-3 content depends entirely on what they are fed and this varies by species and farm. “ To learn more about PBCs “which are a “probable carcinogen visit http://www.clearwater.org/news/pcbhealth.html I believe it is important to be a conscious consumer and in regards to fish, choose to know where the fish comes from, whether is it is farmed or wild., not just for our health but also for that of the fish and the planet. We can make a difference by relying on a fish advisory card (link to http://www.seafoodwatch.org/consumers/seafood-and-your-health) and voting with our forks to only buy fish that is sustainable and healthy.
Ingredients
Adjust servings:
Units:
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400.
  2. Cook orzo as directed on package until al dente. Drain and place in a bowl and cover with clean dishcloth to keep warm.
  3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook 1/2 cup onion and rosemary until onion softens, 9 minutes. Combine with orzo in a bowl.
  4. Brush a roasting pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil and place salmon fillet, skin side down in roasting pan.
  5. While salmon is roasting, heat skillet again with 1 tablespoon olive oil and cook remaining 1 cup onion until translucent, add tomatoes, mixing occasionally until they start to burst – about 3 -4 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in parsley and basil. Season with salt and pepper
  6. Spread orzo on a platter, place salmon on top and spread tomato mixture on top of salmon. Serve
Recipe Notes

Modified from Epicurious: Tuscan Salmon with Rosemary

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