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
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.