I’ve never made lamb before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started searching for recipes to use for Easter dinner. I wanted something flavorful but not overly complicated, and I came across a lamb recipe from Chef Jamie Oliver that took me by surprise. It had an unexpected ingredient that he swears by, and while I am still skeptical, I figured if Jamie Oliver says it works, it’s worth a shot.
This recipe is all about simplicity and enhancing the natural richness of the lamb with classic flavors like garlic, rosemary and a base of roasted vegetables. Jamie says it builds layers of depth and flavor, and the process seems pretty straightforward, even for a first-timer like me.
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How to Make Jamie Oliver’s Perfect Roast Leg of Lamb
To make this leg of lamb, you’ll need celery, carrots and onions, bay leaves, leg of lamb, olive oil, fresh rosemary, garlic and a splash of red wine vinegar. While these are optional, Jamie Oliver says that the secret ingredient to a great leg of lamb are anchovy fillets, which add an unexpected depth of umami to the dish.
Start by preheating the oven to 425° and then begin prepping your veggies. Roughly chop the celery, carrots and onions an scatter them in the bottom of a roasting pan along with the bay leaves. These will infuse the lamb with flavor and serve as the perfect foundation for an incredible homemade gravy.
Drizzle the leg of lamb generously with olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper, making sure to coat all sides of the meat. Take a few sprigs of rosemary and peel some garlic cloves, then finely chop them together. If you choose to use them, this is when you’ll mash in the anchovies. They’ll dissolve into the meat and provide a savory richness without tasting overly fishy.
Using a small knife, make incisions all over the lamb and stuff each cut with the rosemary, garlic and anchovy mixture. This step ensures that every bite is infused with flavor.
And here’s where Oliver does things a bit differently. He has you place the leg of lamb directly on the oven rack and place the pan of veggies directly below it. He says that doing this creates “360-degree roasting” while the fat from the lamb drips onto the veggies in the pan.
Close the oven door and immediately turn the temperature down to 350°. The hot start will help crisp up the skin and the more moderate temperature will help create tender, juicy meat. The best of both worlds!
The cooking time depends on how you like your lamb cooked, ranging from 1 hour and 10 minutes for medium to 2 hours and 15 minutes for well-done meat. No matter how the lamb is cooked, you need to let it rest for 30 minutes once you take it out of the oven.
If you’re like me and have never cooked lamb before, this recipe is a fantastic place to start. It’s simple, elegant and looks absolutely delicious. This recipe seems like something straight out of a fancy restaurant, but you can easily make it at home.
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