Leg of Lamb Roast with Spring Market Vegetables

Serves 6-8

One of the reasons I love Spring so much is the arrival of the first of the season vegetables, especially those beautiful little carrots! And roasting them until tender and slightly charred makes them all the more delicious. Carrots, Potatoes, and Cabbage are the perfect pairing for this Easter Lamb Roast, giving an earthy balance to the rich meaty flavor of the lamb. For this recipe, I’m using lamb from Tavlin Tails Farm that I picked up at the Franklin Famers Market, but there are other great local producers which offer lamb as well, such as Bear Creek Farm, River Cottage, Hatcher Family Dairy, and Peaceful Pastures. I also picked up cabbage and potatoes from Kirkview Farm and the little carrots are from Rosecreek Farm. 

For the lamb

1 6 lb bone-in leg of lamb
1 tbl kosher salt
1/4 tsp fennel seeds
3 cloves of garlic, smashed
fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs
fresh ground black pepper
2 tbls olive oil
For the vegetables
1 bunch of spring carrots, washed, unpeeled (you might need to cut some larger ones in half)
3 lbs golden potatoes, cut into 1/4s
1/2 small green cabbage, cut into thick slices
1 tbl olive oil
2 tsp kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper

 

 

 

 

 

Heat the oven to 350F. Cover the bottom of a roasting pan with one sheet of parchment paper. Lay the leg of lamb on the paper in the roasting pan fat side up, and score the fat with a small knife then season both sides with salt and pepper. Lay the rosemary and thyme sprigs and the smashed garlic on top and drizzle over the olive oil. Take another sheet of parchment paper and cover the lamb and kind of tuck it around the edges like a little package, leaving space in the pan so there is room to add the vegetables.

Place the lamb in the oven and roast for 45 minutes While the lamb is roasting toss the vegetables with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. After about 45 minutes of roasting the lamb, remove the pan from the oven and add the vegetables around the lamb. Return the pan to the oven and continue cooking for another 45 minutes, for a total of 1 hour and 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 135F. Remove the parchment paper and let the lamb rest in the pan with the vegetables for 10 minutes before carving. Remove everything to a large serving platter and carefully pour the roasting juices that have collected in the bottom go the pan over the lamb and vegetables. Carve finger-width slices of the lamb taking care to cut around the bone and share the vegetables. 

Enjoy!

Chef Michael R Martin
South Fork Catering Co.