To me, food and family are inextricably linked. It’s how we show affection for each other, how we comfort each other, how we connect with each other. The dining table has been the center of every home I’ve ever lived in, where we laugh, fight, cry and share our lives. In our family, food has always been more than just calories or energy intake. Food equals nourishment.
And that desire to nourish extends beyond just the immediate family. As you guys well know, I love to host, whether it’s a dinner party, a birthday brunch, a housewarming, a Game of Thrones watch party … I could go on forever. That love came directly from my mom, who hosts 50-people dinner parties on the reg, which came directly from my grandfather, who loved nothing more than to throw cocktail parties for his friends once a month.
He passed away last week, and I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about him since then. He too loved to travel, and to go on new adventures. He also loved taking long walks, finding new places even in the city he called home for 84 years. But above all, he loved being surrounded by family and friends, serving everyone a delicious meal and a good stiff drink while sharing stories.
His favorite meal was roast chicken, but I’m sure he’d enjoy this roast lamb just fine. It’s definitely a crowd-pleaser, and would be a standout at a dinner party for any occasion. The meat gets meltingly tender during its slow roast in the oven, and the flavor from the stuffing (shallots, garlic, olives, lemon, rosemary) seeps into every part of the lamb. It definitely falls in the “nourishment” category, and I’m sure my grandfather would approve.
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PinIngredients
- 1 shallot, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1–1/2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
- 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1/3 cup pitted mixed olives, minced
- 1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1–1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 5-6 pound boneless leg of lamb
- 4–5 yellow onions, quartered
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 275F.
- Pile together shallot, garlic, rosemary, oregano, olives, crushed red pepper flakes and lemon zest in the center of your cutting board and run your knife through them a few times to combine.
- Heat the olive oil in a small pan on medium low. Stir in the shallot mixture and saute for 5 minutes, until the onions and garlic have softened. Set aside to cool.
- Lay the leg of lamb out on a large cutting board, butterflying it open if it isn’t already. Trim any excess fat on the interior of the lamb.
- Rub half of the cooked shallot mixture on the interior of the meat. Roll the leg and secure it using kitchen twine.
- Place the quartered onions in the bottom of a 9-x-13 roasting pan. Place the roast over the onions, then drizzle with olive oil and rub the remaining shallot mixture on the outside of the lamb.
- Roast until the internal temperature of the lamb reaches 130 degrees, approximately 3 to 3-1/2 hours. Remove from the oven and let rest for 30 minutes.
- While the lamb is resting, increase the heat to 500F. Transfer the lamb back to the roasting pan and roast for 15 minutes, until the exterior is deeply browned and crisp.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Snip off the twine with kitchen shears, then transfer to a cutting board and slice. Serve with the slow-roasted onions.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 10
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