Recipes by Ed McMahon: French-Style Leg of Lamb; Roast Turkey with Brandied Stuffing

Ed McMahon's French-Style Leg of Lamb

1 bone-in leg of lamb, weighing about 6 lbs.
2 or 3 cloves of garlic, peeled, cut in slivers on toothpicks
1/2 cup Dijon-type prepared mustard
Handful chopped fresh parsley
Salt, freshly ground black pepper
1/2 bottle dry red wine

Wipe off roast with damp clean cloth. Insert garlic with sharp knife. Attach garlic to toothpicks (leave sticking out of meat). Rub mustard generously over entire outer surface of the lamb; place roast on rack.

Place rack in bottom of large open roasting pan. Scatter parsley over top of roast, season outside lavishly with salt and pepper. Pour small amount of water into bottom of pan.

Roast leg of lamb in preheated 350 degrees F. oven for 1 to 1 1/4 hours for medium rare, or 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours for well done. Baste roast liberally with wine as it cooks.

During last half-hour of roasting time, pour off cooking juices into small plastic container. Place container in freezer until fat congeals on top. Remove and discard fat.

Cook down juices to make sauce, season to taste. Let roast stand 10 minutes to firm up before carving. Delicious with your favorite wine. Serves 5-6.

Ed McMahon's Roast Turkey with Brandied Stuffing

1 pkg. (8 ozs.) herb seasoned stuffing mix
1 pkg. (8 ozs.) cornbread stuffing mix
1 1/2 cups (15 to 16 ozs.) applesauce
1/2 cup drained, crushed pineapple
Handful chopped fresh mushrooms
1 cup orange or lemon marmalade
1/2 tsp. sage
1 cup brandy
1/2 cup cooked, crumbled pork sausage
1 cup butter, melted
10-12 lb. turkey
6 strips of bacon

Combine stuffing mixes, applesauce, pineapple, mushrooms, marmalade, sage, brandy, sausage and butter. Stuff turkey and truss. Place on rack, breast-side up, in roasting pan.

Place bacon strips over breast. Bakein preheated 325 degrees F. oven for 1 hour; then cover loosely with a foil tent and continue baking until well-browned and tender about 3 1/2 hours, basting occasionally.

Remove bacon when it is crisp. Crumble it into dressing after it is removed from the bird (omit if sausage has been added to dressing). Serves 6.

Thoughts: Additional brandy can be brushed on bird as it bakes to gave it taste and color.