A roasted butterflied leg of lamb makes a beautiful presentation and is a breeze to carve either at the table or in the kitchen. The olive oil and lemon marinade adds great flavor—if possible, marinate the lamb the day before you plan to cook it.
Ingredients
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried leaves
- 6 garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 leg of lamb, between 4 and 5 pounds, butterflied and trimmed of excess fat
Directions
Step 1
Strip the leaves from the rosemary, place them on a cutting board along with the garlic and salt, and mince them together. Transfer to a small bowl and add 4 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon juice, and the black pepper. Place the lamb, boned side up, on a platter large enough to hold it and brush the marinade all over both sides of the meat; cover and refrigerate for three hours or overnight.
Step 2
When ready to cook, preheat your oven to 425°F. Place the lamb in a roasting pan and drizzle on the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Roast in the center of the oven until an instant-read thermometer reaches 135°F for medium, about 30 to 35 minutes, or 145°F for medium-well, about 35 to 40 minutes. Let the lamb rest for 10 minutes before slicing (its internal temperature will rise another 5 degrees).
Yields 8 servings