Description
A feast fit for a king starts with this Crown Roast of Lamb with Mrs. Rorer’s Mint Sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp salt
- 2 tsp pepper
- 1 (4–5 lb) crown roast of lamb, or 2 (2-lb) racks (see note below)
- Olive oil
For the Mint Sauce:
- About 10 stalks fresh mint
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Pinch of black pepper
- 4 tbsp vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425.
- Combine rosemary, thyme, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Place crown roast on a wire cooling rack placed on top of a baking sheet. Rub olive oil all over the roast, both inside and outside, then rub the herb mixture all over the lamb. Cover the bones loosely with a sheet of aluminum foil.
- Place roast in the oven on the lower rack and cook until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the lamb registers 125-120F, about 20-30 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a serving platter and let it stand for 5-10 minutes before bringing it to the table to carve. Serve with mint sauce. (You could also serve the lamb with prepared mint jelly and let your guests spoon the jelly over the chops while warm, which allows the jelly to melt.)
Make the mint sauce:
- Chop mint until very fine. Place in a small bowl and mix with sugar, salt, and pepper, then stir in vinegar.
Notes
It is easiest to preorder the crown roast of lamb, which is two racks of lamb tied together with twine and trimmed so it will form into a circle. Generally, a butcher or even the meat departments of supermarkets will have a crown roast of lamb available, especially during winter holidays. You can make the crown yourself by trussing two 7–9 rib racks together and cutting one-third of the way through the flesh of each bone.