Roast Leg of Lamb with Mustard Crumbs
- One 6- to 8-pound bone-in leg of lamb
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- ¼ cup chopped fresh rosemary
- ½ cup chopped fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- ¼ cup finely chopped pitted Gaeta olives
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard, plus more as necessary
- 2 cups dry bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
Leg of lamb makes great cold leftovers. Accompany it with horseradish, Dijon mustard, hot mango chutney, or Vinegared Grapes.
- Trim the lamb leg of excess fat and membrane. Mix the marinade ingredients together in a small bowl. Set the lamb in a large nonreactive container and smear it with the marinade. Refrigerate for 4 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Remove the lamb from the refrigerator and season generously all over with salt and pepper (do not scrape off the marinade). Set the leg on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast for 10 minutes at 450°F, then reduce the heat to 350°F. Roast for 30 minutes, then drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Let the lamb roast for another 30 minutes.
- Remove the lamb from the oven. Brush the surface with the mustard. Press the bread crumbs onto the mustard. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Return the lamb to the oven and roast until the bread crumbs are toasty and the meat has reached the desired degree of doneness, about 30 minutes for medium-rate. Bear in mind this is only an approximation: the actual time depends on your oven and the size of the lamb leg. To check, insert an instant read digital thermometer into the thickest part of the lamb leg, taking care not to let the tip touch the bone. For rare meat, remove the leg from the oven when it reaches 115° to 120°F; for medium-rare, 125° to 130°F; for medium, 130° to 140°F. Although temperatures may seem a little bit low, the lamb will continue to cook after you’ve removed it from the oven, and the internal temperature will rise another 5 to 10 degrees during the resting period.
- Remove the lamb from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes.
- Transfer the lamb to a platter and carve at the table.