Easter! We all know what it is and what happened, after all its history! I will be the first to admit that my faith is full of holes, but as a Serbian Orthodox Christian I have been and will continue to be a traditionalist. Orthodox Christianity is so intermingled with our history that it’s impossible to separate yourself from it and it doesn’t matter whether you are Serbian, Greek, Russian, Coptic, Ethiopian, Antioch or whatever cultural jurisdiction you hail from. There are centuries of events almost all dating back to the first time the disciples set foot in Europe and established their base in Constantinople (today’s Istanbul). War, peace, acceptance of the believers and non-believers, the evolution and delivery of Christ’s message and what he died for. As we have fumbled and tumbled through the centuries, we have found ways and developed meaning to how we as various cultures celebrate the Resurrection. In the Orthodox faith it’s lamb. Yes, we eat lamb! Those cute little angels that roam the valleys of the country side, falling over each other as they try to compete and grow up to be sheep only to have their life cut short for our culinary fetish. Or is it?! Why do we eat lamb? According to Greek theologians, the symbolism of lamb dates back to the Old Testament. When God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son, which in itself sounds absurd, but Abraham obeyed God and began to prepare for the sacrifice. When Isaac, Abraham’s son saw what his father was doing he asked, “The fire and wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Though Abraham didn’t really want to kill his son, he was willing to do what God wanted him to do. Sounds barbaric but let’s move on. But when God saw that Abraham was willing to obey, God stopped Abraham and sacrificed a nearby lamb. That is the story, or at least as it is told by Greek theologists.
So, in the spirit of the Easter holidays both Julian and Gregorian (that’s a different topic), we will be preparing a leg of lamb recipe that is sure to satisfy your palate.
Let’s get started!
Lamb Leg - Ingredients:
1 (5-6 pound) preferably bone in but boneless works as well, leg of lamb. I purchased ours from Whitefeather Meats in Creston, Ohio. The Perkins family has been in the butcher business for generations and what I love about them the most is their high standards in animal husbandry.
4 cloves of garlic, but I always use more like 6-8
1 Tbsp of olive oil
1 Tbsp of rosemary
1 Tbsp of thyme
1 Tbsp of Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp of fresh ground Himalayan Sea salt
2 tsp of ground black pepper
Lamb Leg – Prep and Instructions:
Wash the lamb leg well under water and pat dry.
With a knife, cut shallow marks in the meat so that the seasoning sinks in.
In a bowl, combine the garlic, olive oil, rosemary, thyme, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper and mix together.
Once the seasoning is complete, rub it into the lamb leg as best you can. Season all over so that it is even throughout.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and place the lamb leg on a rack in a roasting pan with the fat side up.
Place it into the oven and bake until the internal temperature reaches 135 degrees. This should be about 1 hour 45 minutes. I added a “tent” of foil to prevent blackening.
Once the temperature has been met, remove from the oven, rest for 5-10 minutes, cut it to serve.
Conclusion:
Yes, this dish is great! The super soft taste of lamb leg with the proper amount of herbs excites every level of your tastebuds. I did not pair this with a wine but I do recommend a Pinot Noir or Red Blend. I truly think the heaviness of a Cabernet Sauvignon will take away from the taste and texture of the lamb. I strongly recommend a try.
Cheers to all of you who preserve traditions with your families!
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