Like most dishes of roast meat, roast lamb with olives, lemon and oregano is extraordinarily easy to prepare. The lamb is first seared in ghee or clarified butter before deeply aromatic additions of sun-dried olives, preserved lemon, whole garlic cloves and Greek oregano are tossed into the hot skillet, then it is slow-roasted for several hours to ensure tenderness and flavor. Minimize dishes by serving the roast lamb in the skillet in which it was baked.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time3 hourshrs
Total Time3 hourshrs10 minutesmins
Course: Entrée
Cuisine: American
Author: Jenny McGruther
Ingredients
2 ½poundsboneless lamb roast
salted butter
1headgarlic(peeled with cloves left whole, divided)
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.