Next Day:
Shaved lamb and Argula salad with blackberry vinaigrette

Large – 5 to 7 pound – leg of lamb
20 leeks – chop off tops
1 cup olive oil
1 cup of roasted garlic, chopped [needs to be milder for lamb – instead of raw]
1 cup salt
1 cup pepper – coarse
Quarter cup fresh, chopped oregano
Quarter cup fresh, chopped thyme
One cup red wine

Combine the garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, thyme and olive oil and make into a paste using a mortar & pestle. Rub the whole leg of lamb with the paste.

Heat the oven to 250 degrees, on convention. Wrap the leg of lamb in the leek tops, using olive oil to help the leeks adhere to the meat.

Set on a sheet tray. Add the cup of red wine to the sheet pan.

Put into oven. Cook until the internal temperature of the meat is 130 degrees. A five pound leg will cook for two hours.

Remove from the oven, shave and serve.

Tip: Make sure the leg of lamb has a good amount of fat on top of the leg – not too clean from the butcher – for flavor – in order for the rub/salt to soak in

NEXT DAY: Lamb Argula Salad with Blackberry Vinaigrette

1 or 2 bunches of argula – washed and dried
10 ounces of a soft, mild goat cheese
1 to 2 pounds roasted lamb – sliced
Salt & pepper to taste

Blackberry Vinaigrette
3 T Dijon mustard
Quarter cup blackberry vinegar
1 T salt
1T sugar, black pepper
Quarter cup blackberry preserves
1 cup olive oil
4 T fresh herbs – basil & thyme

Whisk all ingredients, except oil, in a bowl and mix well. While whisking slowly, add oil until emulsified.

Arrange the leaves in mounds on four large plates. Add some goat cheese in the center of each mound. Arrange the lamb slices around the goat cheese and drizzle with blackberry vinaigrette.

Garnish with blackberries. Optional: garnish with pecans.