Roast Leg of Lamb with Fennel Seeds and Rosemary Crust
By Knives Cooks Love: Reprinted with permission of Andrews McMeel Publishing, recipes by Sarah Jay, photography by Ben Fink
Images
Serves
Makes 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh coarse bread crumbs
- 1⁄2 cup plus 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
- 4 anchovy fillets
- 3 medium cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoons fennel seeds, crushed in a mortar or with a mallet
- 1⁄2 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 6 pound bone-in leg of lamb (aitchbone removed), shank bone on
Procedure
This is a delicious excuse to learn to carve bone-in leg of lamb. For an instant side dish, toss some potatoes around the lamb while it’s roasting. When it’s time to carve, start on the side with the crust. If some falls off as you slice, that’s okay—just scoop it onto each serving.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a food processor, combine the bread crumbs, pine nuts, rosemary, anchovy, garlic, and fennel seeds. Process until the nuts and garlic are finely chopped, 10 to 15 seconds. Add 1⁄2 cup of the olive oil, mustard, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper to the food processor. Process until combined.
Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil in a large, heavy-duty roasting pan set over medium heat. Sear the lamb on all sides until deeply browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. (You'll need to prop up and support the leg with tongs to sear some areas.)
Set the leg in the pan with the flatter side down. Spread the bread crumb mixture evenly on top of the leg and partially down the sides. Roast until medium rare, 70 to 80 minutes, when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the deepest section of meat (without touching the bone) should read 130°F. Let the meat rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a food processor, combine the bread crumbs, pine nuts, rosemary, anchovy, garlic, and fennel seeds. Process until the nuts and garlic are finely chopped, 10 to 15 seconds. Add 1⁄2 cup of the olive oil, mustard, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper to the food processor. Process until combined.
Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil in a large, heavy-duty roasting pan set over medium heat. Sear the lamb on all sides until deeply browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. (You'll need to prop up and support the leg with tongs to sear some areas.)
Set the leg in the pan with the flatter side down. Spread the bread crumb mixture evenly on top of the leg and partially down the sides. Roast until medium rare, 70 to 80 minutes, when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the deepest section of meat (without touching the bone) should read 130°F. Let the meat rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.
Roast Leg of Lamb with Fennel Seeds and Rosemary Crust
By Knives Cooks Love: Reprinted with permission of Andrews McMeel Publishing, recipes by Sarah Jay, photography by Ben Fink
Serves
Makes 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh coarse bread crumbs
- 1⁄2 cup plus 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
- 4 anchovy fillets
- 3 medium cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoons fennel seeds, crushed in a mortar or with a mallet
- 1⁄2 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 6 pound bone-in leg of lamb (aitchbone removed), shank bone on
Procedure
This is a delicious excuse to learn to carve bone-in leg of lamb. For an instant side dish, toss some potatoes around the lamb while it’s roasting. When it’s time to carve, start on the side with the crust. If some falls off as you slice, that’s okay—just scoop it onto each serving.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a food processor, combine the bread crumbs, pine nuts, rosemary, anchovy, garlic, and fennel seeds. Process until the nuts and garlic are finely chopped, 10 to 15 seconds. Add 1⁄2 cup of the olive oil, mustard, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper to the food processor. Process until combined.
Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil in a large, heavy-duty roasting pan set over medium heat. Sear the lamb on all sides until deeply browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. (You'll need to prop up and support the leg with tongs to sear some areas.)
Set the leg in the pan with the flatter side down. Spread the bread crumb mixture evenly on top of the leg and partially down the sides. Roast until medium rare, 70 to 80 minutes, when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the deepest section of meat (without touching the bone) should read 130°F. Let the meat rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a food processor, combine the bread crumbs, pine nuts, rosemary, anchovy, garlic, and fennel seeds. Process until the nuts and garlic are finely chopped, 10 to 15 seconds. Add 1⁄2 cup of the olive oil, mustard, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper to the food processor. Process until combined.
Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil in a large, heavy-duty roasting pan set over medium heat. Sear the lamb on all sides until deeply browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. (You'll need to prop up and support the leg with tongs to sear some areas.)
Set the leg in the pan with the flatter side down. Spread the bread crumb mixture evenly on top of the leg and partially down the sides. Roast until medium rare, 70 to 80 minutes, when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the deepest section of meat (without touching the bone) should read 130°F. Let the meat rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.