Chef notes
Fresh herbs and cool yogurt with an earthy beet flavor make the perfect, colorful accompaniments to a juicy, roast leg of lamb on your Easter table.
Ingredients
- 1 4-pound boneless leg of lamb, tied with butcher's twine
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Canola oil, for cooking
- 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 8 fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups Greek yogurt, preferably 2%
- 1/4-1/2 cup fresh beet juice
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup fresh dill fronds, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
For the roasted lamb:
Remove the lamb from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Season the entire lamb liberally with salt and pepper. Heat 1/4 cup of canola oil in a roasting pan set over 2 burners until it begins to shimmer. Put the lamb in, top-side down and cook, without touching, until golden brown and crust has formed, about 5 minutes. Continue turning and browning each side.
Transfer pan and lamb to oven and roast until an instant read thermometer inserted into the center reads 130°F (this will be medium-rare); 45-65 minutes.
For the sweet and sour mint glaze:
Whisk together the mustard, honey and vinegar in a medium bowl, season with salt and pepper and fold in the mint. Set aside and let sit at room temperature to allow the flavors to meld.
For the beet yogurt with dill:
Put the yogurt in a medium bowl and add enough beet juice to make the sauce your desired consistency and color. Add the dill and mint and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
To serve:
Remove the lamb from the pan and let rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve drizzled with the sweet and sour mint glaze and serve the beet yogurt on the side.
