Easter is traditionally the time for lamb. If you're planning to serve it, but haven't yet decided how, this roast leg of lamb with herbs is quite nice; the mustard and herbs do an excellent job of balancing richness of the lamb. To serve 6-8:
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 90 minutes
Ingredients:
- A boned leg of lamb, weighing about 2 pounds (800 g)
- An onion
- A sprig of fresh thyme
- A small bunch of mint (about a dozen leaves)
- 4 tablespoons seedy mustard
- 4 slices pancetta
- 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs
- 1 pound (400 g) baby onions
- 1 pound (400 g) string beans
- 1 cup dry white wine
- Extravirgin olive oil
- Salt & freshly ground pepper
Preparation:
Peel the onion and mince it with the thyme and the mint. Mix the herbs with the breadcrumbs and the mustard. Season the cavity left by the bone with salt and pepper, and rub the leg of lamb with the herb paste. Wrap it with the slices of pancetta and tie them into place with string. While you are doing this, preheat your oven to 400 F (200 C).
Put the leg in a roasting pan and drizzle it with a little oil, sprinkle the wine over it, and roast it for about 90 minutes, basting it every now and again with the pan juices. Peel the onions, and add them to the pan after about 45 minutes, salting them lightly.
Snap the tips off the string beans if need be, bring a lightly salted pot of water to boil, and boil them for five minutes, timing things so the five minutes are up when the meat has about 10 minutes left to cook. Add the string beans to the roasting pan for the remainder.
Let the roast sit on a heated serving platter for a few minutes, and then slice it and serve it with the greens; you can, if you want, mince a little more mint and thyme and sprinkle them over everything when it's done. The wine? Something substantial, for example an Amarone or a Barbaresco.
Yield: 6-8 servings roast leg of lamb with herbs.
Put the leg in a roasting pan and drizzle it with a little oil, sprinkle the wine over it, and roast it for about 90 minutes, basting it every now and again with the pan juices. Peel the onions, and add them to the pan after about 45 minutes, salting them lightly.
Snap the tips off the string beans if need be, bring a lightly salted pot of water to boil, and boil them for five minutes, timing things so the five minutes are up when the meat has about 10 minutes left to cook. Add the string beans to the roasting pan for the remainder.
Let the roast sit on a heated serving platter for a few minutes, and then slice it and serve it with the greens; you can, if you want, mince a little more mint and thyme and sprinkle them over everything when it's done. The wine? Something substantial, for example an Amarone or a Barbaresco.
Yield: 6-8 servings roast leg of lamb with herbs.
