Roast lamb is, without a doubt, one of our very favorite dishes. In the spring we serve it with young vegetables: carrots, English peas, parsnips and fennel, but we’ve recently started serving it with Greek-inspired ingredients: olives, lemon, garlic and oregano. And it is heavenly. There is nothing quite light the vibrant perfume and flavor fresh oregano which, like its cousins marjoram and mint, marries well with lamb.
Greek oregano, unlike Mexican oregano, is a member of the mint family. Its flavor is decidedly different, milder and more floral. It’s also rich in phenolic compounds and flavonoids which may account for its potent antimicrobial and antioxidant activity. Moreover, preliminary research indicates that oregano may have an anti-proliferative effect on human breast cancer cell. It’s the potent essential oils of oregano that offer the most strongly medicinal effects. Indeed, oregano essential oil can be a potent tool in the control of food-borne pathogens like listeria and salmonella. You can learn more about the medicinal properties of common culinary plants here.
roast lamb with olives, preserved lemon & fresh oregano
Ingredients
- one 2 to 3 pound grass-fed lamb roast
- about 2 tbsp clarified butter or ghee
- 1 head fresh garlic (peeled with cloves left whole, divided)
- about 1 cup sun-dried black olives in olive oil
- 1 Moroccan preserved lemon (quartered)
- 1 bunch fresh oregano (preferably Greek, divided)
- 1 cup wine red or white, or chicken stock
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 275-degrees Fahrenheit.
- Truss and tie the lamb roast with 100% cotton cooking twine to ensure even cooking an attractive appearance.
- Pierce the lamb roast, inserting about half the garlic cloves into the roast. Reserve the remaining cloves for the skillet.
- Heat about two tablespoons clarified butter in a cast iron skillet over a medium-high flame until it melts.
- Add the trussed and tied lamb roast to the hot fat, searing on each side for about 1 minute or so.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the sun-dried olives, quartered preserved lemon, remaining garlic cloves and about half the fresh oregano to the skillet. Allow this mixture to cook with the lamb, stirring as needed, for about two minutes.
- Pour about 1 cup of red or white wine or chicken stock, to the skillet. Remove from the heat and place the skillet in an oven preheated to 275 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Roast for about two to three hours, depending on the roast’s size.
- Serve in the skillet, sprinkled with remaining fresh oregano.
![[ad] I'm seeing the last of the season's luscious, ripe tomatoes at my farmers market - mixed among pumpkins and hardy greens. And they're just waiting to be roasted. ❤️⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
When you go to roast them, promise me this: You'll top them with a garlicky, toasted pecan crumble.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Because it's absolutely heavenly.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Buttery toasted pecans marry beautifully with the subtle caramel notes and sweet, deep flavor of roasted tomatoes. While garlic, sage and thyme give the dish a fragrant, bright lift.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I partnered with @AmericanPecan to develop this recipe, and worked my way through mountains of pecans. They've always been a favorite of mine - that rich flavor. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
My roots run deep in the American south, and pecans were LIFE. But, they were always sweet: pies, shortbread cookies and those ethereal pralines.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Here's the thing, pecans are wonderful when you use them in savory recipes, too. And in this recipe, they make a brilliant garlicky crumble - one that doesn't need breadcrumbs or cheese.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It's really easy to throw together, too. You'll roast the tomatoes, and then while they're roasting, toast the pecans, garlic and herbs. And then sprinkle the pecans over the the tomatoes and tuck them in the oven for a few minutes to finish.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Grab the full recipe in the link @nourishedkitchen.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
#americanpecan #pecan #realfood #holisticnutrition #nourishedkitchen](http://scontent-mia3-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/6cf1d62c00944a10cc84b720fb9569d2/5E28E287/t51.2885-15/sh0.08/e35/c0.135.1080.1080a/s640x640/73349400_420803278505586_1040812802843255783_n.jpg?_nc_ht=scontent-mia3-1.cdninstagram.com&_nc_cat=106 "[ad] I'm seeing the last of the season's luscious, ripe tomatoes at my farmers market - mixed among pumpkins and hardy greens. And they're just waiting to be roasted. ❤️⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
When you go to roast them, promise me this: You'll top them with a garlicky, toasted pecan crumble.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Because it's absolutely heavenly.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Buttery toasted pecans marry beautifully with the subtle caramel notes and sweet, deep flavor of roasted tomatoes. While garlic, sage and thyme give the dish a fragrant, bright lift.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I partnered with @AmericanPecan to develop this recipe, and worked my way through mountains of pecans. They've always been a favorite of mine - that rich flavor. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
My roots run deep in the American south, and pecans were LIFE. But, they were always sweet: pies, shortbread cookies and those ethereal pralines.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Here's the thing, pecans are wonderful when you use them in savory recipes, too. And in this recipe, they make a brilliant garlicky crumble - one that doesn't need breadcrumbs or cheese.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It's really easy to throw together, too. You'll roast the tomatoes, and then while they're roasting, toast the pecans, garlic and herbs. And then sprinkle the pecans over the the tomatoes and tuck them in the oven for a few minutes to finish.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Grab the full recipe in the link @nourishedkitchen.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
#americanpecan #pecan #realfood #holisticnutrition #nourishedkitchen")
[…] Roast Lamb with Olives, Lemon & Fresh Oregano […]
I made this tonight and it was incredible. I didn’t know whether to cover or not, so I didn’t. I also didn’t have preserved lemons so I used regular, and I clarified the butter when I melted it. I just had regular oregano, as well. It was a knockout. Thank you for sharing this!
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