Spring Lamb To Win Applause

It is now officially Spring and one of the gastronomic treats of this time of the year is Lamb!

To celebrate, I have brought you Italian Springtime lamb, with a recipe shared with me by my good Italian friend Antonio, Lamb Leg Roast with Gremolata served with fresh asparagus and baby new potatoes.

Lamb leg roast is an elegant dish that appeals to almost everyone. This version is sophisticated and a wonderful blend of flavours, textures, and techniques. It takes your Sunday roast to new heights.

Firstly, assemble the ingredients needed: purchase the leg of lamb from a butcher and ask him to debone it and butterfly the leg.

Leg of lamb butterflied.

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves removed and chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 5-ounce container baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup whole-grain mustard
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (from 1 large lemon)
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese, grated
• You will need some string or twine to tie up the lamb.

For the gremolata:

• 1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (from 1 large lemon)
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Salt, to taste

Step 1

1. Remove the lamb from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.
2. Warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, rosemary, pepper flakes, and walnuts. Toast until fragrant and beginning to brown. Add the chopped spinach and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and cook until wilted. Stir in the raisins. Set aside and this will be filling in the rolled-up lamb.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
4. Spread the lamb out flat, fat/skin side down, on a board in front of you. If the meat is still very thick, with a meat hammer gently pound the inside meat to an even, 1-inch thickness. Now sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the 1/2 teaspoon pepper, then spread the mustard evenly over the inside of the meat. Distribute the spinach mixture over the mustard.
5. Starting from one side, roll up the lamb with the filling inside so that it maintains the shape of the leg. Tie with butcher’s twine at 2-inch intervals. Season the outside with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Step 2: Sear the Lamb

1. Wipe out the sauté pan and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Place the pan over high heat and allow it to get hot. Place the lamb in the pan and sear it until golden brown all over, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the lamb to a rimmed baking sheet or a roasting pan and roast until the internal temperature registers 60C on an instant-read thermometer, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
2. Now cook your accompanying vegetables and prepare the gremolata.

Step 3: Prepare the Gremolata

In a small sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the Panko and cook, stirring regularly, until golden brown. Add the parsley, lemon zest, pepper flakes, and salt. Toss and set aside to let the flavours mingle.

Step 4: Set the lamb aside while you cook your vegetables.

Prepare your vinaigrette:

In small jar with tight-fitting lid, shake together olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, honey, pepper and salt. Use 1-1 ratio for oil and lemon juice, not the standard 3 to 1 ratio.

New potatoes:

The boiling time for new potatoes can vary based on several factors, including their size and the desired level of tenderness. Do not peel the new potatoes.

Generally, small new potatoes will take around 15-20 minutes to boil, while larger ones may require slightly more time. Test the potatoes to see if they are done by piercing them with a fork or the tip of a sharp knife. When they are cooked to your desired level of tenderness, remove the pot from the heat and drain the potatoes immediately. Just before serving place liberal spoonfuls of melted butter over the potatoes and grate some Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese over the top.

While the potatoes are cooking, cook your asparagus.

Look for asparagus that is freshly picked and has a juicy, firm feel. Choose asparagus that is plump and not dry and woody looking, the buds should be tight and closed. The ends should not be too white and dry.

Trim off the tough, dry ends at the point where the stalk begins to pale (the snap test can waste much of the juicy perfectly edible stems). Young asparagus spears are more tender and can be trimmed just at the end. Once purchased, place the untrimmed asparagus spears in a glass of cold water until you are ready to use them.

Plunge into a pan of boiling salted water and cook gently for 4/5 minutes. Serve with a vinaigrette.

Slice the lamb and serve with a sprinkling of the breadcrumb/gremolata. This adds an unexpected flavour combination that goes well with the lamb.

Pour yourself a well-deserved glass of wine et voilá, a dinner that stands alone in its simplicity, yet is so very flavoursome.

For the wine: with lamb I would recommend a red, but a white is possible if reds do not suit your palette.

Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir are both good choices.  Their depth is ideal for a roasted leg of lamb, marrying well with the meat’s savoury richness.