If you want to impress your family or dinner guests, you will definitely WOW them with this awesome lamb salad from Kristin Reese

Kristin Reese, a volunteer with CommonGround, is part of a grassroots movement to foster conversation among consumers – on farms and in cities – about where our food comes from. Today, Kristin shares one her recipe for American Lamb Arugula Salad with Blackberry Vinaigrette. "One of the main reasons I enjoy making this recipe is because we raise black raspberries, lamb and arugula, so literally, all the ingredients are at my fingertips! For those of you who do not have this luxury, the ingredients are also easy to find at the grocery store."

(Interview) Kristin Reese tell us how she prepares her American Lamb Arugula Salad with Blackberry Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 1-2 pounds sliced roasted lamb leg
• 2 bunches of arugula, washed and dried
• 10 ounces of a soft, mild goat cheese
• 1/2 cup toasted pecans
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Blackberry Vinaigrette:

• 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup blackberry preserves
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp. fresh herbs, such as basil & thyme.
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 450° F. Place the lamb leg into a roasting pan and roast uncovered for 20 min., or until a crust forms that will seal in the juices. Lower oven heat to 300° F. and finish cooking (bone-in roast requires additional 20 minutes per lb.; boneless roast requires additional 25 minutes per lb.). Internal temperature should reach 130 – 135° F. for a medium rare roast. Remove from oven and let rest for 20 minutes before carving. Carve against the grain about 1/2 inch thick per slice. Whisk all Blackberry Vinaigrette ingredients in a bowl. Mix well. Arrange arugula leaves in mounds on 4 plates with equal parts goat cheese in the center of each mound. Arrange lamb slices around the goat cheese and drizzle with blackberry vinaigrette. Garnish with blackberries and toasted pecans. Serve with crusty French Bread and a crisp Sauvignon Blanc.