Spring Lamb With Oranges,
Lemons, Green Olives,
And Oven-Roasted Potatoes

This lamb is also very good when
cooked on the grill if weather permits.

Ingredients

2 large oranges
1 large lemon
1⁄3 cup brine-cured green olives (preferably Italian)
4 large garlic cloves
1⁄4 cup packed, fresh, flat-leafed parsley leaves
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 lbs. Yukon Gold boiling potatoes
7 lb. leg of lamb (ask the butcher to remove the pelvic bone and tie lamb for easier carving)

Directions

With a vegetable peeler, remove zest from oranges and lemon; reserve lemon and orange. Pit olives. In a food processor fitted with steel blade, finely chop zest, olives, garlic, and parsley with 2 tablespoons oil.

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large roasting pan, arrange lamb and with the tip of a sharp small knife, cut small slits all over lamb. Rub olive mixture over lamb, pushing it into slits. Halve reserved lemon and squeeze juice over lamb. Season lamb with salt and pepper and roast in middle of oven 20 minutes.

Reduce temperature to 350°F. Peel potatoes and cut into 11/2-inch pieces. In a mixing bowl, toss potatoes with remaining 2 tablespoons oil to coat; season with salt and pepper. Add potatoes to the roasting pan, around and/or under the lamb. Loosen potatoes from pan with a metal spatula and turn occasionally. Continue cooking 1 hour more, or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat registers 135°F and potatoes are tender and browned.Transfer lamb to a cutting board and let stand while making gravy. Transfer potatoes to a large bowl and keep warm.

Pan Sauce

Ingredients

1⁄2 cup dry white wine
1⁄2 cup chicken stock
whole lemon and oranges, quartered
1⁄2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1⁄2 tablespoon unsalted butter

Directions

Add wine, chicken stock, and orange and lemon quarters to
roasting pan and deglaze pan over moderately high heat, stirring
and scraping up brown bits.Transfer mixture to a small saucepan
and bring to a boil. In a cup with your fingers, blend together
flour and butter. Add flour mixture into sauce, whisking until
incorporated, and simmer gravy, stirring occasionally, for one
minute. With a slotted spoon, remove any potato pieces from
sauce, strain, and serve over or alongside the lamb.