Roast Leg of Lamb with Apricot-Cherry Glaze

From: Kendal Duque, Sepia, Chicago. Yield: 8-12 servings.

1 small leg of lamb, deboned if preferred

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

8 sprigs fresh rosemary

8 cloves garlic, smashed

to taste, kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Glaze:

3 cups water or chicken broth

¼ cup dried tart cherries

¼ cup red wine vinegar

2 Tbsp. honey

1 cup ripe apricots, pitted and cut into 1-inch chunks

2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

to taste, kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

For lamb: Season lamb with salt and pepper and marinate with the rest of the ingredients for 2 hours.

When ready to roast, wipe off herbs and garlic from chops, season lightly again with salt and pepper and place in a preheated 350°F oven. Let cook for 45 minutes. Pull out of oven and coat with glaze using a brush. Brush with glaze every 10 minutes until lamb is cooked to medium rare. Use an instant thermometer to register at 140°F in the thickest part of the meat. Remove and keep warm. Let meat rest for 15 minutes before carving into ¼-inch slices. Serve alongside a salad of fresh young lettuces dressed in lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil and roasted market vegetables. Serve with any remaining glaze on the side.

For glaze: Combine 1 cup water or broth with cherries and red wine vinegar and let stand for two hours. Drain cherries, reserve liquid and coarsely chop the cherries. In a pot, add all remaining ingredients except mustard and including the reserved cherry liquid. Cook over medium low heat until reduced to a glaze consistency (approximately 30-45 minutes). Stir in mustard and set aside.