Greek Style Easter Lamb

“I remember as a child when Greek Easter came along, my mum would serve lamb for dinner,” Diana Rogers says. “First we would go to the market the day before and purchase one leg (buti) of lamb with the bone not broken. She was so proud to make the purchase and to return home to prepare a delicious meal for her family.”

With spring in the air, lamb is also the perfect British Easter roast, especially if you’re hosting the whole family. And this recipe is so full of flavour that it will have them coming back for more. Serve with new potatoes, buttered green beans and a green salad. Or embrace the Greek cuisine and make a large greek salad too!

Ingredients

1 leg of lamb (9 lbs. or larger)
3-5 to 12 cloves of garlic, peeled and halved
1/2- 1 Tablespoon of salt
1/8 – 1/4 Teaspoon pepper
1 Tablespoon of oregano or more
1 Teaspoon of thyme
1 Tablespoon of spearmint flakes (optional) I use a little
2 Lemons, juice only
3 cups boiling water

Method

Wipe meat and place in a shallow baking pan.

With a small knife make four or more incisions all over and insert sliced cloves of garlic. Rub with salt, pepper, oregano and mint.

Roast meat at 425 degrees F, 220 degrees C. for 30 minutes.Reduce heat to 350 degrees F, 180 degrees C. and continue baking 2 hours longer, adding water in the pan. Add lemon juice the last half hour and baste lamb with juice.

Skim some of the floating oil that accumulates in the pan and use the remaining liquid for gravy. If desired, remove the lamb from the pan and add parboiled potatoes and continue baking the potatoes. Enjoy!

By Diana Rogers