Roasted Leg of Lamb
Main Dish • Lamb
Source: Gracie Schatz
Serving size: 6
Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 3 hours
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Ingredients
- Leg of Lamb Ingredients:
- 2 lb boneless leg of lamb
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped rosemary leaves
- 4 Tbsp finely chopped thyme
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 Tbsp capers
- 4 anchovy fillets - optional
- Fennel stems
- Enough Dijon mustard to make a paste
- Spice Rub:
- 2 tbsp ground fennel seeds
- 2 tbsp ground coriander seeds
- 4 Tbsp kosher sea salt
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- Salsa Verde Ingredients:
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- Enough vinegar to submerge the diced shallot
- 1 cup finely chopped fresh mint, parsley and fennel frond
- 1 clove of garlic, pressed through a garlic press or grated with a microplane
- Enough good olive oil to submerge the fresh herbs
- Optional:
- Anchovies
- Capers
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- Arugula Salad with Manchego and Olives Ingredients:
- ½ lb arugula, cleaned and spun
- 1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced
- Any extra chopped parsley and mint
- ½ pint pitted castelvetrano olives
- ½ lb manchego, grated
- Dressing:
- 2 Tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 cloves garlic, grated on a microplane
- ¼ cup sherry or red wine vinegar
- ½ cup olive oil
- Salt to taste
Directions
- Leg of Lamb:
- 1) Bring the meat to room temperature before cooking and preheat the oven to 450F. Cut extra flats into meat to maximize surface area.
- 2) Roast the fennel and coriander seeds until brown and aromatic (about 3 minutes) and then grind them in a mortar and pestle with the kosher sea salt.
- 3) Finely chop the rosemary, thyme, capers, garlic and anchovies together into a paste. Place it in a small bowl and add in the mustard mixing well until it sticks together.
- 4) Generously coat the lamb with your spice rub and then spread the herbs and garlic paste onto the inside of the roast.
- 5) Tie the roast up with a butcher's knot to secure it and help it cook more evenly.
- 6) Rub it with a little olive oil and sear until brown.
- 7) Chop the tops off the fennel and remove the fronds, but save them for the salad.
- 8) Place the roast on the fennel stems and then place in the oven for 20 minutes
- 9) Reduce the heat to 300 and cook for about 20 more minutes or until the temperature at the center of the roast is 125F.
- 10) Allow it to rest twenty minutes before slicing and enjoying.
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- Salsa Verde
- 1) Dice the shallot as fine as you can, place it in a small bowl and submerge with the red wine vinegar. Let the onions sit in the vinegar for at least ten minutes, up to an hour.
- 2) Chop your fresh herbs, my favorites are fennel frond, parsley and dill. This is another opportunity to adjust based on what you are serving. For tacos, I’ll use mostly cilantro with a little fennel frond and a pinch of fresh oregano. Be careful with rosemary and oregano, they can be almost medicinal if used in too great of quantity. For fresh eggs or fish I love tarragon, dill and parsley together, for lamb I like mint, parsley and oregano. Sometimes I’ll add in fresh basil or arugula. Anything that is tender and green will work.
- Place the finely chopped herbs in a medium size bowl and submerge them in good olive oil. Add the crushed garlic and chopped capers and anchovies if you like those things. Slowly stir in the pickled shallot a little at a time, taste as you go. You want to balance the acidity and the herbaceousness. Finish with a pinch of salt if you need to. This sauce is best right away. It will be good for a couple of days.
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- Arugula Salad
- In a small bowl combine the garlic, vinegar and paprika and mix well to combine. Whisk in the olive oil and add salt to taste. Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl, setting half of the cheese aside to sprinkle on top. Toss the salad with your preferred amount of dressing and top with freshly cracked pepper and additional cheese. Enjoy!
