There are certain dishes that stay with you—not just for their flavor, but for what they represent. For me, roasting a leg of lamb over Pommes boulangère is one of those meals. I don't recall having lamb at any occasions growing up so this was a dish that I proudly introduced to our family.
As a young cook, it was something I could prepare with limited experience, and it provided deeply satisfying results. The lamb roasts in the oven over a bed of potatoes, onions, and garlic, allowing its natural juices and fat to baste the vegetables below. It's actually a simple preparation but becomes a complete, delicious meal—the potatoes absorbing flavor and becoming just as important as the roast itself. These days I'm developing delicious recipes using spice blends such as Ras el hanout, Baharat, Za'atar, Togarashi and even Harissa.
I also love roasting leg of lamb outdoors on a grill or rotisserie. I like the subtle smokiness from applewood or dried herbs when I'm roasting lamb outdoors.
Roast Leg of Lamb, pommes boulangère
Roasting is a fundamental dry-heat cooking method. I generally roast large pieces of beef, pork lamb or whole chickens and ducks when we have family or friends for dinner.
Proper roasting begins with heat. A hot oven is essential to achieve the deep caramelization associated with the Maillard reaction, which drives both flavor and visual appeal. When roasting a leg of lamb, I prefer to cook it so the center remains rare, allowing for a range of doneness from edge to edge—something for every guest at the table. It's very important to let the roasted lamb rest for 20-30 minutes (depending on size) so that the juices redistribute back into the the meat. If you slice the roast when it's just out of the oven, the juices seep out the meat will be dry.
I roast over a bed of carrots, celery, parsnips, onions, garlic and leeks or boulangère style-the baker’s potatoes,” the classic French preparation of thinly sliced potatoes, onions, and garlic baked with a small amount of stock until tender and golden.
I season lamb with freshly cracked black pepper, thyme and rosemary from my garden and marinate it overnight-no salt until just before roasting.
Paired with a seasonal vegetable or salad, it is simple, complete, and delicious!
Meatloaf
Prep Time: 30 min
Cooking Time: 90 min (depending on the size of the leg of lamb)
Yield: 8 portions
Ingredients
1 ea Leg of lamb (5–6 lbs)-boneless and tied/netted
4 cloves Garlic, peeled and sliced in half
3 oz. Olive oil
1 Cup. Spanish onion, peeled and chopped
1/2 Cup. Carrot, peeled and chopped
1/2 Cup. Celery, chopped
1 Tbsp Kosher Salt
2 Tbsp Black pepper
3 Tbsp. Fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, Italian parsley)
How to Prepare Roast Leg of Lamb
Step 1
Gather the mise en place for the Roast Leg of Lamb.
Preheat the oven to 400°F
Score the surface of the lamb by poking small slits with a paring knife. Insert garlic into the small slits (top, bottom and sides). .
Step 2
Rub with olive oil, pepper, and herbs. Marinate in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours or at room temperature for 30–45 minutes before roasting.
note-if refrigerating, season allow to sit at room temperature for an hour before roasting.
Season with salt an hour before roasting-if you put salt in the marinade, it will draw out moisture from the lamb.
Step 3
In a roasting pan, layer carrots, celery and onions or potatoes, onions, and garlic for boulangère style. Drizzle with olive oil.
Place the roast into a preheated oven at 400°F
- Roast for 30 minutes to get a nice brown sear on the lamb.
- Reduce heat to 350°F and continue roasting for 60–75 minutes, or until desired doneness (130–135°F for medium-rare).
Baste the lamb with the natural juices at the bottom of the pan occasionally -every 30 minutes.
Take the roasted lamb out of the oven and rest 20-30 minutes. Using a sharp, slicing knife, cut the lamb and enjoy.
