Ok, don’t panic. If you can roast a chicken, you can roast a leg of lamb. While daunting because of its size and weight, leg of lamb is very easy to cook. It also feeds an army, with leftovers to boot – which are great sliced thin for sandwiches or tossed in this Greek Salad. Farm raised local lamb is not gamey, but delicious and tender. We sourced ours from Caney Fork Farms, found at The Richland Park Farmers Market.
Tips for a great leg of lamb:
Score the top of the lamb (the side with the most fat) to allow the marinade to infuse into the meat. Roast on a bed of sweet potatoes or hearty vegetables to capture all the delicious drippings. Serve with skhug, a bright and fragrant pesto-like condiment that has the pop of jalapeno, the zing of fresh lemon, and a beautifully deep Mediterranean flavor.
1. Preheat oven to 350F. With a pairing knife, score the top side (fattiest side) of the lamb with shallow cuts. Place 2 tablespoons rosemary, thyme, 8 garlic cloves, mustard, lemon, and olive oil in a blender and blend on high until garlic is no longer visable.
2. Rub garlic mixture all over lamb, pressing the yummy bits into the shallow cuts on the top side. Season generously with salt and pepper then rub with cumin. Use remaining garlic cloves to push into the scores on the fat.
3. Place sweet potatoes and onion in roasting pan. Top with lamb, fat side up, and remaining rosemary. Cook uncovered for 1 1/2 hours or until internal temperature reaches 135F. Let rest 10 minutes to allow the leg to finish cooking. Slice and serve with skhug.
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