At Easter, we pull out all the stops and serve whole roasted leg of lamb. In our family, indeed in much of the world, the custom of serving lamb at Easter is as traditional as colored eggs and chocolate bunnies.
Flavorful lamb ranks among the world's most popular red meats. However, in this country, we consume only about a pound a year per person. Too bad, because lean lamb is highly nutritious with an affable character that takes well to high-heat cooking methods such as roasting, broiling and grilling.
Roasting a leg of lamb sounds challenging, but truly, cooking a roast in the oven proves one of the simplest main courses ever. It all starts with the right roast from young, tender lamb.
Lamb is the grade for sheep less than a year old (mutton is sheep older than 18 months). I look for meat that was raised right: By humane farmers who care about the quality of life of their animals. Farmers markets can be a good source for locally raised lamb. If the market is not an option, ask a local butcher to order a leg for you. At the supermarket, I read labels for country of origin; I don't buy lamb from another continent if I have a choice.
For roasting, the hind leg of the sheep is the norm; it includes the sirloin all the way down to the shank. Because sheep primarily use their front legs for stability and motion, the rear legs tend to be meaty without much fat. I order a semi-boneless leg of lamb _ that is, I want the butcher to remove the aitch bone (the pelvis) and tie the sirloin into a compact shape. This makes for speedy cooking, a stunning presentation and easy carving. The recipe that follows can easily be made with a boneless sirloin roast or a boneless butterflied leg of lamb _ cooking times will be much shorter _ about 30 minutes. No matter, the key to even cooking is to always let the roast come to room temperature before it goes into the oven.
I like to season lamb simply with a mixture of fresh herbs, lemon and olives. The spring garden already yields tender parsley and chives. I'll also add store-bought herbs _ fresh oregano, thyme and rosemary. Aromatic Meyer lemons, found in many specialty produce markets, lend a subtle, perfume flavor with juicy brightness.
In fact, the herb mixture is so delicious I plan to employ it to season my side dishes for Easter dinner: Roasted asparagus and crunchy lupini beans. The herb mixture also works wonders on luxurious burrata cheese for a decadent appetizer any time of the year.
A 10 to 12 pound leg of lamb will serve 10 to 12 people. You can serve more if there's an adequate amount of sides. However, you should know that leftover sliced lamb makes the most amazing sandwich. Tuck it into warmed pita or pile onto toasted pumpernickel spread with horseradish mayonnaise. You'll find yourself cooking lamb even when it's not a holiday.
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