Spring is often associated with lamb, but pasture-raised lamb is at its best after a summer spent grazing. Roasting a whole leg is a great way to celebrate the season. Ask your butcher to remove the aitchbone from the leg; this will make it easier to carve at the table. The mixed and mingled flavours of the lamb, potatoes, olives and honey are a knockout. Serve with a simple salad of sturdy escarole and rosy chicories with our Sesame and Honey Vinaigrette.
Sheet-Pan Lamb Leg Roast With Roasted Potatoes
The mix and mingle flavours of lamb, honey, olives and potatoes are a knockout in this elegant sheet-pan recipe worthy of a dinner party
Ingredients
- 4 tsp toasted coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp finely chopped rosemary
- 6 cloves garlic finely grated
- 1 tbsp + ½ tsp salt divided
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large orange zested
- 1 leg lamb 3.15–3.5 kg, aitchbone removed
- 3 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- 1.5 kg Yukon gold potatoes washed and dried
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups mixed olives
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Using a mortar and pestle, coarsely grind coriander seeds. Add rosemary, garlic, 1 tbsp of the salt, pepper and orange zest and mix into a paste.
- Pat lamb dry if necessary. Using a paring knife, score fat by making short, shallow slashes all over. Rub and evenly spread with seasoning paste. Place on large, heavy baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in small bowl, stir together honey and orange juice; set aside.
- Cut each potato into 6 wedges. Add to large bowl and toss with olive oil and remaining ½ tsp salt. Arrange around lamb and return to oven. Roast 1 hour, flipping potatoes after 30 minutes.
- Brush lamb with honey mixture, reserving any remaining. Return to oven and cook until thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat registers 135°F for medium-rare, about 15 minutes. Transfer lamb to cutting board; tent with foil.
- Turn oven off. Arrange olives around potatoes and return to oven with the door ajar (place wooden spoon between door and oven) to warm olives through and meld with potatoes while lamb rests for 20 minutes.
- When ready to serve, drizzle any remaining honey mixture over olives and potatoes, carve lamb and serve with accompaniments.
