ROAST BUTTERFLIED LEG OF LAMB WITH CORIANDER, CUMIN, AND MUSTARD SEEDS

Lamb is one of those meats, when not cooked right, it's terrible. If cooked rare, you will have those in the family (i.e. Wife) who'll say it is raw and will not touch it.  If overcooked, its rubbery and has no flavor. So you have a narrow range to get the lamb just right, where everyone is happy. I was able to achieve this with the following recipe from Cook's Illustrated. You will slow roast the lamb until it reaches 120 degrees, then you will roast it further, under the broiler on high heat until you reach the internal temperature you desire. For us, I took the lamb out at 140 degrees (med-rare). If you prefer rare, take it out at 125 degrees.

Added bonus, no marinating is required. The spices are roasted in the pan before you add the lamb. The lamb is placed on top of the roasted spices, protecting them from being scratched when the head is turned up. The end result, is a crusty skin on top and spicy flavor on the bottom.

Oh! One last note, no matter how good this is, it's a once-a-year type dish. Look at the prices on 6pd lamb at your grocery store to find out why!

Requirements

• large pan
• instant thermometer

INGREDIENTS

• 1(6- to 8 pound) butterflied leg of lamb
• Kosher salt
• 1/3cup vegetable oil
• 3shallots , sliced thin
• 4garlic cloves , peeled and smashed
• 1(1-inch) piece ginger , sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds and smashed
• 1tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1tablespoon mustard seeds
• 3bay leaves
• 2(2-inch) strips lemon zest

SAUCE

• 1/3cup chopped fresh mint
• 1/3cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1shallot , minced
• 2tablespoons lemon juice
• Salt and pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. FOR THE LAMB: Place lamb on cutting board with fat cap facing down. Using sharp knife, trim any pockets of fat and connective tissue from underside of lamb. Flip lamb over, trim fat cap so it’s between 1/8 and ¼ inch thick, and pound roas to even 1-inch thickness. Cut slits, spaced 1/2 inch apart, in fat cap in crosshatch pattern, being careful to cut down to but not into meat. Rub 2 tablespoons salt over entire roast and into slits. Let stand, uncovered, at room temperature for 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, adjust oven racks 4 to 5 inches from broiler element and to lower-middle position and heat oven to 250 degrees. Stir together oil, shallots, garlic, ginger, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, bay leaves, and lemon zest on rimmed baking sheet and bake on lower-middle rack until spices are softened and fragrant and shallots and garlic turn golden, about 1 hour. Remove sheet from oven and discard bay leaves.
3. Thoroughly pat lamb dry with paper towels and transfer, fat side up, to sheet (directly on top of spices). Roast on lower-middle rack until lamb registers 120 degrees, 30 to 40 minutes. (NOTE: make sure to check temp after 20 minutes, then every 10 minutes) Remove sheet from oven and heat broiler. Broil lamb on upper rack until surface is well browned and charred in spots and lamb registers 125 degrees, 3 to 8 minutes for rare. 10 minute for medium-rare. Then check every 5 minutes until you reach the temperature you prefer. 
4. Remove sheet from oven and, using 2 pairs of tongs, transfer lamb to carving board (some spices will cling to bottom of roast); tent loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 20 minutes.
5. FOR THE SAUCE: Meanwhile, carefully pour pan juices through fine-mesh strainer into medium bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids. Stir in mint, cilantro, shallot, and lemon juice. Add any accumulated lamb juices to sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. With long side facing you, slice lamb with grain into 3 equal pieces (ex.1 below). Turn each piece and slice across grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Serve with sauce. (Briefly warm sauce in microwave if it has cooled and thickened.)

Ex.1 from Cooks Illustrated