Khalil Khelah

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Leg of lamb on rice

Khalil Khelah

So how do you cook a leg of lamb? … well, it’s really easy if you follow this recipe. I have been making this recipe for Christmas for many years. It has become a family tradition to cook a leg of lamb for Christmas dinner for as long as I remember. In fact, I introduced my wife’s family, whose of Scandinavian roots, to the joy of eating lamb. We have been married now for 30 years,; and we have been hosting Christmas since 2002.

Ingredients

  1. 6 pounds de-boned leg of lamb - they typically come between 5 - 6 pounds from Costco (this should serve 12 people)

  2. Old Bay seasoning - or your favorite kitchen spice

  3. 3 cups of white rice - I use organic Basmati rice - or your favorite aromatic rice

  4. 6 cups chicken broth or stock to cook the rice in - you can use water but I don’t recommend it

  5. 1 table spoon olive oil

  6. 2 teaspoons sea salt

  7. 1 bay leaf

I cook my lamb in a cast iron dutch oven. I highly recommend using a dutch oven pot if you have one!

Cooking this leg of lamb is easy:

  1. Rub your lamb with Old Bay and be generous - and marinate for about 1 hour

  2. Heat your oven to 240 Fahrenheit

  3. Put your leg of lamb in dutch oven, and put the cover on

  4. Stick it in the oven and cook for 3 hours - and leave it there. It will be perfect and moist once done!

  5. Now use the rest of the ingredients (3-7 above) to cook your rice

    1. wash your rice to get rid of the starch with cold water and rinse until the water is clear - about 6-7 rinses typically

    2. Put your rice in the pot and add all the ingredients (3-7)

    3. Bring to a gentle boil and then reduce the heat

    4. simmer for about 20 minutes

    5. Garnish your rice with pine nuts, raisins, and peas if you like

    6. If you decide to use pine nuts, gently and lightly fry them in some butter - be careful and watch them: they burn fast - usually 2-3 minutes and they are done

    7. For the peas, fry them in some butter. I use frozen peas, and they are wonderful in butter

    8. For the raisins, you don’t need to cook them at all - but you can gently warm them if you like

  6. After 3 hours - remove from the oven; let it rest for at least 10 minutes uncovered on a cutting board. Slice for serving. And enjoy!