Lamb and ham are both popular main dish options for Easter dinner. Growing up, it was always ham for Easter at our house and in Eric’s family, too. In the USA, ham is the more popular option due to it being more readily available and less expensive than lamb. It is a different story in other parts of the world. The British Isles, Australia, New Zealand, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern countries have all had lamb as a major part of their diets for centuries. We serve lamb as a special occasion dinner in our house and it is Eric’s first choice for Easter dinner.
Lamb is the lean, tender, and flavorful meat from sheep that are less than a year old. The first lambs of the season usually come to market around the time of Easter, making it a good main dish choice for the holiday. The unique flavor of lamb comes from the grasses they eat while grazing the pasture. Recipes for lamb usually use either European flavors like rosemary, mint, and sage or Mediterranean flavors like cumin, turmeric, and cinnamon. The stuffed leg of lamb recipe below has more of a Mediterranean flair to it with the paprika and coriander used as a rub on the lamb.
Spinach & Pine Nut Stuffed Leg of Lamb
Spinach & Pine Nut Stuffed Leg of Lamb (adapted from delish.com) Time Required: 1 hour, 30 minutes, Prep Time: 20 minutes, Serves 8 – 10
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion
- 1 pound baby spinach
- 2 clove garlic
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 2 -3 pound boneless leg of lamb
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400º F. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté it until softened, about 8 minutes.
Saute the onions first.
Add the spinach and garlic, and sauté them until the spinach is wilted, about 4 minutes.
Add the spinach to the pan to wilt it.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the pine nuts and raisins.
Add the raisins and pine nuts to the filling.
Sprinkle the lamb with 1/2 tablespoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, then flip the meat and repeat. Sprinkle one side of the lamb with paprika and coriander.
Season the meat on both sides.
Evenly spread the spinach mixture on the side of the lamb with the paprika and coriander.
Add the filling to the lamb.
Roll the lamb up from one long side then tie it with kitchen twine every 2 inches.
Roll the meat up along the long side and tie it shut.
Transfer the lamb to a roasting pan and roast it until an instant-read thermometer reaches 140º F (medium-rare) when inserted into the center, about 1 hour. Remove the lamb from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes. Remove the twine and slice the lamb. Serve immediately.
Allow the lamb to rest for 10 minutes before slicing it.
Roasted potatoes and asparagus go well with leg of lamb!
Fresh lamb is a sure sign of Easter and Spring! ~Linda
Spinach & Pine Nut Stuffed Leg of Lamb (adapted from delish.com) Time Required: 1 hour, 30 minutes, Prep Time: 20 minutes, Serves 8 – 10
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion
- 1 pound baby spinach
- 2 clove garlic
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 2 -3 pound boneless leg of lamb
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400º F. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté it until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the spinach and garlic, and sauté them until the spinach is wilted, about 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the pine nuts and raisins.
Sprinkle the lamb with 1/2 tablespoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, then flip the meat and repeat. Sprinkle one side of the lamb with the paprika and coriander. Evenly spread the spinach mixture on the side of the lamb with the paprika and coriander. Roll the lamb up from one long side then tie it with kitchen twine every 2 inches.
Transfer the lamb to a roasting pan and roast it until an instant-read thermometer reaches 140º F (medium-rare) when inserted into the center, about 1 hour. Remove the lamb from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes. Remove the twine and slice the lamb. Serve immediately.