Moroccan Boneless Leg of Lamb with Hasselback Potatoes

Every kitchen should have a good Sunday roast go-to. 

They are impressive when brought to the table, and are a special way to feed family and friends.  There is something so comforting about everyone gathered around the table, with a majestic roast on a platter in the middle, surrounded by all the side dishes. This can be said for all the roasts: Roast Chicken, Roast Pork Loin, Roast Beef Tenderloin, Roast Turkey, and of course a Roast Leg of Lamb!

Boneless vs Bone-In

As much as I agree that the bone does add flavour to the final dish, there are times when having the bone removed is a good thing.  For one, it makes the cut of meat more compact, taking up less room in the baking dish or oven.  The ease of roasting time improves when the variable of the bone is removed.  And this makes for much easier carving. Tying off the meat to keep it tight will always ensure an even roast time, reduced since the bone itself isn’t affecting the meat around it.  I do this for my turkey breasts all the time.  In fact, deboning a turkey and roasting the breasts tied up, as well as the thigh meat tied up, means that I can get a turkey done in two hours or less, no matter the initial weight.  And the same goes for leg of lamb.  Oh, what I’m saying here can equally apply to lamb shoulder that has been tied off.

What’s so Special About Lamb Anyway?

First of all, lamb tastes like lamb because it has a fatty acid that beef doesn’t.  It gives the meat its distinctive gamey flavour.  You either love it, or you don’t.  Lamb is also one of those farmed animals that lives a pretty good, ethical life before we get it. Most are allowed to wander on the range and eat grass. This is better than a high-protein and grain diet, which changes the texture and cooking quality. Lamb shouldn’t be super lean. Fat produced from grass creates a lovely flavoursome addition to the meat.  Lamb’s robust flavour takes well to being seared and charred.

Lamb also loves herbs and spices.  I especially lean towards the Middle Eastern and North African flavours for lamb, whether it’s for lamb chops, grilled lamb kebobs or lamb stews.  Lamb is robust, so it needs to balanced with equally brash herbs and spices or else they will get overpowered by the meat.  Outdoorsy, woodsy rosemary is a given.  As well as sage, oregano and cilantro.  For spices just look to Morocco, Lebanon, Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, Palestine etc: cumin, coriander seed, garlic, sumac, blends like baharat, vadouvan, harissa etc all hold their own on lamb.  All of these cuisines have been cooking lamb way longer than the rest of us, so I bow to their input!

If you are sensitive to the flavour of lamb, or do want to make it milder for kids, you can have the butcher butterfly a leg of lamb, removing the meat from the bone, and opening it up to reveal the fat pockets.  You will cut out these fat pockets (but don’t go nuts trying to get every little bit) and then roll it back up and tie it for roasting.  Before you roll it up you can even season it with herbs and garlic for an instant flavour boost.  To tie it off on your own, just use butcher’s twine and tie off every 3/4 inch or so as tightly as you can. This will keep all the meat tight together meaning that there won’t be parts of the roast that cook faster than the rest.

How Long Should You Roast Lamb?

First off, I like a high temperature of 425F for roast lamb.  It creates a great crust, but still keeps the inside juicy.  Yes, you can also slow roast lamb, if so desired.  But this recipe is for a high heat roast, and it takes no time!  Guaranteed results. To me, lamb tastes great around medium rare, or 130F-135F.  If you want to take it to medium well (I’m looking at my in-laws!) aim for 140-145F. Of course you can roast it longer to 150-155F, but it will become tougher and less flavourful.  And don’t forget, it will continue to cook even after removed from the heat. Here’s my tip for roasting lamb that will be used for more than one meal, or for a roast that only 2-3 will be eating, leaving leftovers for the next day: Roast it to the temperature you desire, say 135F.  Both ends of the roast will be done to your liking.  The centre may not yet be totally cooked to 135F but that’s alright.  You will use slices from either end for the first meal, and then the centre can be rewarmed or prepared in an alternate manner without worrying that it will become overcooked the second day.

Here’s a good rule of thumb: 16-17 minutes per pound for medium rare, 18 or so minutes for medium well, and 20 minutes for well done.  Based on this, and using 425F, a 2.5 to 3 lb roast (which will feed four comfortably) takes me 45 minutes or so.  A good thermometer is your friend here.  Every oven is different.  It may read 425F on the outside screen, but that doesn’t mean it is actually 425F inside.  Give your oven time to warm up properly.  Start checking the roast after the first 35 minutes or so, just to give yourself an idea of how the temperature and the lamb are getting along.  And if it takes a bit longer, don’t fret.

My Moroccan Spiced Boneless Leg of Lamb

First off, to make this a Moroccan Spiced Lamb, I used ras el hanout.  You can also use baharat.  What are these funny sounding names?  They are warm spice blends from North Africa all over to the Middle East, which can be used in a variety of ways.  The actual ingredients may vary from region to region, but you will usually find that they include cumin, paprika, cinnamon, coriander, ginger, nutmeg, pepper, cloves, cardamom etc.  These days you can find them already blended up in many shops, but for sure you can find them online.  One of my favourite sources is The Spice Trader here in Toronto.  The link is also in the recipe below.

Have your roast (actually all meats for any roasting day) brought up completely to room temperature.  I leave it sitting on the counter for the hour that I use to pre-warm the oven.  Yes, that is how long I have to heat up my oven to get it to the desired 425F.  Then when ready to roast, cut a large onion into four thick rings, and lay them on the bottom of a roasting pan.  Lay some fresh rosemary on top of the onions, and then lay the roast on top.  Cut slits into the roast and insert slivers of garlic into them.  Drizzle olive oil all over the roast.  And rub a mixture of chopped rosemary, ras el hanout or baharat, salt and pepper all over the roast.  And into the oven!  If the pan is large enough, you can even add the potatoes to the same pan 1/2 hour before the roast should come out.  When all is finished, those onion slices are to be treasured and fought over!

What to Serve with Lamb

You can go in so many directions.  Of course you can go traditional with roasted or mashed potatoes and asparagus or parsnips. But how about minted Couscous, Saffron rice, pita and Tzatziki, Greek salad, Tabbouleh, Fattoush, even grilled or roasted tomatoes, and eggplant?  Today, since I am looking to North Africa for the flavour profile for this meal, I decided on harissa spiced hasselback potatoes.  

Mini Hasselback Potatoes

Going mini means that these can cook right alongside the lamb for the last half hour in the oven.  They get all crispy and full of flavour as the oil, butter and seasonings drip into the all the little slits cut into the potatoes.  Since the potatoes are so small I am saying to forego using two chopsticks etc to use as guards on either side of the potatoes when making the slits.  You just need a sharp knife and a steady hand.  Be gentle, not cutting so far down so as to slice the potato in half.  A quick douse of melted butter and herbs and the potatoes are ready to be popped into the oven.  You can bake these on a separate baking sheet, or in the same pan with the lamb. Just remember though, the potatoes should be in one layer, with enough exposure to the heat to crust up, if not they won’t get the texture you are looking for.  I bake mine on a separate baking sheet with a low edge, to ensure that the heat can travel all around the potatoes and for maximum crusting.

Chermoula Sauce

Like all green sauces (think chimichurri, salsa verde, zhug etc) Chermoula is a combination of chopped green herbs, garlic, seasonings, oil, acid, and a bit of heat.  The heat is what sets Chermoula apart from other sauces.  Usually I make mine with parsley, cilantro, garlic, preserved lemon, olive oil, cumin, paprika, and a small red chilli pepper.  And sometimes I will even through in fresh mint!  Go for it, if you have it.  I guess this is my nod to the British tradition of a mint jelly on the side of lamb.  I do think mine has more kick!  If you want a great overview of Chermoula, check out this link!  With this meal, any leftover meat can be grilled up, served with pita bread, more chermoula or tzatziki, and tomatoes, cucumbers and red onions for a fun meal.

Final Thoughts

Slice up this roast lamb, serve it with the Chermoula sauce and potatoes (which btw also love the Chermoula!) and a side of salad or roasted veggies, and you have a meal for all year round.  Fresh roasted Spring veggies like asparagus with Saffron Rice; or a riotous Fattoush and Watermelon Feta and Olive Salad in the Summer; or carrot purée, Kale, Apple Walnut and Sumac Tabbouleh and creamed greens in the Winter.  

If you want to see another way to use Chermoula, check out my Salmon Confit with Chermoula Sauce

Love Jen

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Moroccan Spiced Boneless Leg of Lamb with Hasselback Potatoes

A richly flavoured, juicy lamb roast doesn't need to take hours. Follow this recipe for a spiced roast lamb and harissa laced hasselback mini potatoes, all served up with a vibrant green and lemony Moroccan Chermoula Sauce.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Moroccan

Keyword baharat, chermoula sauce, harissa, hasselback potatoes, lamb roast, potatoes,moroccan,harissa,butter,garlic,ras el hanout

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

Moroccan Spiced Boneless Leg of Lamb

• 2 1/2-3 lb boneless leg of lamb or larger see Notes
• 1 large yellow onion trimmed and papery peel removed
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 5 large garlic cloves cut into slivers
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp fresh chopped rosemary
• 1 1/2 tsp Ras el Hanout or Baharat see Notes
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Harissa Hasselback Potatoes

• 2 lb mini yellow potatoes or 1 kg (about 4-5 potatoes per person)
• 2 tbsp Butter melted
• 1 tsp Onion Powder
• 1/2 tsp Harissa powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 3/4 tsp Salt or to taste
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Chermoula Sauce

• 1 bunch of parsley or cilantro or a combo of them both You can even add in some fresh mint if you have it
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 small red chilli pepper deveined and seeded, chopped
• 1 tbsp worth of preserved lemon chopped (alternatively you can use fresh lemon juice)
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Instructions

Moroccan Spiced Boneless Leg of Lamb Roast

1. Preheat oven to 425F

2. Slice the large yellow onion into four slices and arrange in a medium sized baking pan. Lay the fresh rosemary sprigs on the onion slices.

3. Place the boneless leg of lamb roast on a cutting board, ensuring that it is tied off and patted dry. Use a sharp knife to make slits around the outside of the roast.
4. Slice the garlic cloves into slivers and push these into the slits. If you have more slits than garlic, just slice up another garlic!

5. Rub the roast with the oil all around. Combine the chopped rosemary, ras el hanout or baharat, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Use your fingers to pat this mixture all over the roast. Place the roast on the onions, and place the pan on the centre rack.

6. Roast, uncovered, until you have reached the desired temperature. Remember, the temperature of the meat will go 5-10 degrees higher as it rests.
7. For 2-3 lb roast, check after 35 minutes. This will let you know how the oven and the roast are getting along, and how much time to allot for it to finish. Usually 45 minutes is good for this sized roast, unless you want it to be medium well.
8. Remove the roast from the oven and let rest uncovered for 15 minutes, to let the juices settle back in evenly.
9. Remove the strings with a sharp knife and slice into 1/4 inch slices against the grain. Don't slice it any thicker than this. Serve warm, but will even taste fine at room temperature.
10. Serve with Chermoula Sauce and Hasselback Potatoes

Harissa Hasselback Potatoes

1. Make very thin slices (1/16" - 1/8") along your baby potatoes, ensuring you don't go all the way down. A sharp knife and a steady hand are all you need. Place them into a large bowl.
2. In a small pot melt the butter. Once melted, add the onion powder, harissa powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper and mix well to combine. Pour this over the potatoes and toss well to combine and coat well.
3. Spread potatoes out on a baking sheet with low edges for best crunch factor. Add a 1- 1 1/2 tbsp of oil to the bowl and use a brush to capture any leftover seasonings. Brush onto the tops of your potatoes with this oil.
4. Add the potatoes to the lamb in the oven, about 30 minutes before the lamb is ready to come out. Bake until golden and crispy, at about the same time as the lamb should be done. Timing will depend of course, on size of potatoes, so it could take less or more time. If needed, leave them in the oven while the lamb is removed and resting, or vice versa.

Chermoula Sauce

1. You can do this by hand, or use a food processor.
2. Chop the greens finely.
3. Mince the garlic finely
4. Mince the red chilli pepper

5. Chop the preserved lemon finely (if using fresh lemon juice, you may need to adjust amount as well as the salt)

6. Combine all the ingredients to create a paste. Add more oil if you want it to be more of a dipping sauce, and less olive oil if you want a thicker marinade. Taste and re-season as desired.
7. This can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before using, to help the oil liquify again.

Recipe Notes

For lamb roasting times:
Medium Rare: 130 - 135F temperature; about 16 minutes/lb.
Medium Well: 140 - 145F temperature; about 18 minutes/lb.
For a 4-5 lb roast, check internal temperature after 1 hour and take if from there.

Feel free to mix up the flavours for the potatoes to suit your meal. Fresh chopped rosemary and thyme, chilli powder, etc are all good on these potatoes. Whatever your tastebuds are craving.

For great sources for Ras el hanout and Baharat, which are North African Spice blends, check online, such as here. 

See here for a great Preserved Lemon recipe

I confirmed my roasting times thanks to Olena Osipov's perfect recipe at ifoodreal.