Mustard Gives French Accent to Roast Lamb

Dear SOS: About two years ago around Easter time you published a recipe that called for marinating lamb overnight in a buttermilk, garlic, mustard and soy sauce mixture. I would be most grateful if you could replace my lost recipe.

--GIOVANNA

Dear Giovanna: A recipe using buttermilk has eluded us. We do have one with the remaining ingredients that you mention. We found the recipe printed in a Bert Greene column back in 1984. We hope that this recipe is all right? This roast lamb will make a great family or party meal.

FRENCH-STYLE ROAST LAMB

1 (4- to 6-pound) leg of lamb

2 cloves garlic

1 small piece ginger root

1/3 cup Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon honey

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crushed

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Using ice pick, pierce holes in lattice pattern over top and sides of lamb. Cut 1 clove garlic into slivers. Insert garlic, alternating with ginger slivers, into holes in lamb

Crush remaining clove garlic. Combine crushed garlic, mustard, honey, rosemary and thyme in small bowl. Slowly beat in olive oil until thickened. Add soy sauce. Spread over lamb. Let stand 3 to 4 hours.

Place lamb on rack in roasting pan and roast at 450 degrees 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and roast 10 to 12 minutes per pound for medium rare. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Dear SOS: Sorry, but you printed a fudge recipe instead of a brownie recipe using cocoa and oil. My husband is beside himself until he can have his cocoa brownies.

--BERTHA

Dear Bertha: Well, please resuscitate him with these Passover Brownies.

PASSOVER BROWNIES

1/2 cup oil

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1/2 cup matzo cake meal

1/3 cup cocoa

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Mix oil and sugar. Add eggs and mix again. Sift cake meal and cocoa together and add to mixture. Add nuts and mix thoroughly. Pour batter in greased 8-inch square pan. Bake at 350 degrees about 25 minutes. Cut into squares while warm. Remove from pan carefully as cookies are fragile. Makes about 25 (1 1/2-inch) squares.

Dear SOS: I would love to have a recipe for noodles amandine. It is no longer available in stores.

--KATHERINE

Dear Katherine: How about this recipe, which may approximate the store-bought varieties.

ALMOND NOODLES

12 ounces noodles

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1/4 cup slivered toasted almonds

Cook noodles in boiling water until tender but still firm, about 5 minutes. Drain and toss with butter, poppy seeds and almonds. Makes 6 servings.