Roast Leg of Lamb with Herbs & Lemon Zest

Ingredients:

5 lbs leg of lamb
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 anchovy fillet
zest of one lemon
1 Tbsp kosher salt

To prepare:

Preheat oven to 450F.
Combine garlic, parsley, thyme, olive oil, anchovy, lemon zest and salt in a food processor and mix until it forms a paste, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
Slice 12 to 18 deep slits all over the leg meat using a sharp paring knife, then using a chopstick or fingers to gently press the herb paste into the slits. Try to use all the paste.
Rub any remaining paste over lamb and season outside of lamb with pepper.
Place on a rack in a roasting pan and roast 10 min.
Reduce oven temperature to 350F and roast lamb another hour and 20 min or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat (not touching the bone) registers 125F for medium rare.
Remove from oven, transfer to cutting board, cover loosely with foil and let rest 20 min before carving. Temperature will reach 135F to 140F.

Kitchen Tip:

Resting the roast after it comes out of the oven is a critical step; it makes the meat juicy and tender.