| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 3 hr |
| Active: | 1 hr |
| Yield: | 6 to 8 servings |
Ingredients
- One 5-pound trimmed and boned leg of lamb, butterflied
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves removed and chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- One 5-ounce container baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3/4 cup raisins
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup whole-grain mustard
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (from 1 large lemon)
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- For the lamb: Remove the lamb from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.
- Warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, rosemary, pepper flakes and walnuts. Toast until fragrant and beginning to brown. Add the chopped spinach and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and cook until wilted. Stir in the raisins.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spread the lamb out flat, fat-side down, on a board in front of you. If it is still very thick, gently pound it to an even, 1-inch thickness. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Spread evenly with the mustard; distribute the spinach mixture over the mustard. Starting from one side, roll up the lamb with the filling inside so that it maintains the shape of the leg. Tie with butcher’s twine at 2-inch intervals. Season the outside with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Wipe out the saute pan and add the remaining tablespoon olive oil. Place the pan over high heat and allow it to get hot. Place the lamb in the pan and sear it on all sides until golden brown all over, about two minutes per side. Transfer the lamb to a rimmed baking sheet or a roasting pan and roast until the internal temperature registers 135 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove to a cutting board and rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
- While the lamb is roasting, prepare the gremolata: In a small saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the panko and cook, stirring regularly, until golden brown. Add the parsley, lemon zest, pepper flakes and salt. Toss and set aside to let the flavors mingle.
- Serve the sliced lamb with a sprinkling of the breadcrumb gremolata.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 641 |
| Total Fat | 44 g |
| Saturated Fat | 15 g |
| Carbohydrates | 17 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 9 g |
| Protein | 44 g |
| Cholesterol | 150 mg |
| Sodium | 702 mg |
Reviews
I tried this and realized I didn’t have walnuts and substituted pistachios- FANTASTIC!!
Made this for Easter this year. It was really easy to make and made for a great presentation. Too bad we couldn’t share it with extended family due to the quarantine. I’ll definitely make it again next year!
Delicious! We’ve made this twice and it wonderful. Tips: The resting time is critical. Also, thin out your mustard a bit with some vinegar to get it into everywhere. I made this #whole30 compliant by substituting toasted chopped blanched almonds for Panko.
I’ve made this 3 years in a row now for Easter. At first, it seems involved and complex, but really, it’s simple! It is a medium amount of effort for a very impressive dish. Read through all the directions first, prep and then go! Don’t skip the raisins Or the gremolata – they really make it. Also, don’t worry if your meat isn’t butterflied, it isn’t too hard to do it yourself. If the roll doesn’t look neat and tidy going into the oven, don’t worry. It will still taste amazing. Great for the home cook looking to witch it up from ham or plain roasted lamb.
Delicious. A bit time consuming as my lamb was not butterflied or trimmed. I like to chop and dice everything before starting so I can concentrate on the cooking after that. I only had 1.5# lamb so did 1/3 of the stuffing, the granita didn’t add anything but the stuffing was great. I seared meat on all sides and then cooked in oven for just 22 minutes, let sit for 15 – it was rare to medium rare, tasty and I will do it again. Next time [assuming a 1.5″ lamb] I will make 1/2 of stuffing and squeeze it all in as it was delicious. Only change I made was using dried currants instead of raisins. Be prepared to completely clean your cooktop after searing, there was oil and fat everywhere.
The salad dressing from this show is wonderful and could be used as a topping for meat or fish too.
The salad dressing from this show is wonderful and could be used as a topping for meat or fish too.
Fantastic… Nothing but positive feedback from Easter guests!! I used American lamb and served with a balsamic reduction sauce instead of the gremolata, otherwise followed the recipe exactly. My family requested this again for next weekend!
Lamb was wonderful and the filling was excellent! Will definitely be making this again!
Giada. this recipe was true inspiration. I thought Hmmm savory stuffing with Lamb. never tried that. it was absolutely fabulous every single bite. My family loved it and most everyone had seconds and kept raving all day about it:))) And so easy to make. Just follow exactly as was demonstrated. Nothing needs to be changed.