Victoria Schilling is an Aussie by birth, a Montanan by marriage, and an extraordinary cook by practice. Her home-cooked meals focus on garden-grown veggies and locally grown meat (her freezer is filled with prized 4-H goodness lovingly raised by Park County kiddos). This simple but elegant preparation of leg of lamb topped with fresh mint pesto is perfect for Sunday dinner, or easy enough for a weekday supper. And if there are left overs, it makes a great sandwich on crusty bread.
SERVES 8–10
8 cloves garlic, fi nely chopped or minced
2 tablespoons fi nely chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons fi nely chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon fennel seed, lightly ground with mortar and pestle
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 (6–7 pound) lamb leg, deboned or butt erflied
Mint jelly or fresh mint pesto (recipe here)
In a medium bowl, combine the garlic, rosemary, oregano, fennel, salt, and pepper. Add olive oil and Dijon mustard and mash until it forms a chunky paste.
Smooth paste over the lamb, coating evenly on all sides, including the inside. Roll and tie the lamb with butcher’s twine, then place on a rack in a large roasting pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Bring lamb to room temperature and remove plastic before cooking.
Heat oven to 400°F. Roast lamb for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° and roast for approximately 1 hour, until internal temperature in the thickest part of the meat reaches 140° for medium-rare, or longer for more well done.
Transfer lamb to a carving board, tent with foil, and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing on the diagonal. Slice thickly so each piece has some crust. If there are juices left in the pan, they can be simmered to a thick gravy to drizzle over the lamb at serving.
As an alternative to the traditional mint jelly, enjoy this with fresh mint pesto.
Note: This recipe also works well on a pellet grill with indirect heat, such as a Traeger.
Wine Pairing
2020 Seppeltsfield Barossa Grenache
This mild-body Grenache is deceptively mellow. It deepens the flavors of rosemary and oregano in the lamb, and the lamb deepens the flavor of the Grenache.
Recommendation by Debbie Endres. At the Gourmet Cellar in Livingston, Debbie Endres talks about wine in a down-to-earth and relatable way. Since opening her storefront in 2004, her goal has been to offer wines at any price point that can be enjoyed with whatever is on the menu.
