Aromatic Lamb
Submitted by dttodd
Honey and lemon marinated leg of lamb roasted with potatoes, fresh rosemary, thyme, and oregano. One pan, up to a 24-hour marinade, and a beautifully gilded finish.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
90 minREADY
120 minThe marinade for this aromatic lamb is deliberately salt-free. Honey, fresh lemon juice, and bruised rosemary get rubbed into the meat and left to work for anywhere from 4 to 24 hours. The longer the rest, the deeper the sweet-citrus flavors penetrate. Salt goes on later, with the potatoes.
The potatoes are as important as the lamb here. Quartered and arranged around the joint, they get their own treatment: lemon juice, olive oil, fresh rosemary, thyme, oregano, a drizzle of honey, and a few dots of butter. They essentially cook in the pan drippings as the lamb roasts above them.
During roasting, the honey caramelizes and the herbs toast, producing what the recipe beautifully describes as a “gilded” surface. Turn the potatoes occasionally and add a splash of boiling water if the pan threatens to dry out, that liquid keeps the potatoes from scorching before they’re cooked through.
This is a one-pan Sunday roast that rewards patience.
Chef Tips
- Hold off on salt in the marinade as directed; it draws moisture out and prevents the honey-lemon from penetrating the meat
- The 24-hour marinade is worth the time if you can plan ahead - the flavor difference is noticeable
- Turn the potatoes two or three times during roasting to coat them evenly in the drippings
- Rest the lamb at least 15 minutes after roasting before carving
Variations
- Add garlic: Press slivers of garlic into small cuts around the leg for an extra layer of flavor
- Orange instead of lemon: Orange juice produces a sweeter, less sharp marinade with a different citrus character
Ingredients
Directions
Put the leg of lamb into a large roasting pan. Bruise the leaves of 2 or 3 sprigs of rosemary and sprinkle them over the meat. Add plenty of pepper and 1 tablespoon honey.
Rub the mixture into the meat with your hands. Then rub half a lemon over the joint, squeezing the juice on to the meat as you do so. Do not add any salt.
Leave to marinate for 4 to 24 hours.
Peel and quarter the potatoes, then arrange them in a single layer round the lamb. Squeeze lemon juice over the potatoes -- use at least half a lemon, or up to one and a half lemons for a strong citrus flavour. Carefully pour ¼ pint water into a corner of the roasting pan, then sprinkle over the potatoes and lamb about 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, at least 1 teaspoon each fresh chopped thyme and oregano, and some salt and pepper. Drizzle on 1½ teaspoons honey and 1 tablespoon olive oil, then dot with 1 oz butter.
Bake at 425℉ (220℃) (220 C) gas mark 6 for a further 1 to 1¼ hours. The ingredients will become gilded and will burnish to a rich brown in places. Lift the meat and turn the potatoes occasionally, and if necessary, add a little boiling water to the pan to prevent drying out.
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