Lamb pairs well with an array of herbs and spices, and you can’t go wrong with the classic duo of rosemary and thyme along with plenty of garlic. Here, all three are minced and combined with olive oil to make a generous rub, creating a gorgeous herb-crusted leg of lamb as the meat roasts.
A rosemary, thyme, garlic and mint dressing for roast lamb
I used this for a leg of lamb, but you could just as well use this with some chops or another dark meat.
This is a simple dressing that I made for a leg of lamb, out of the herbs and vegetables from the garden this Easter just gone. It’s a recipe I’ve been meaning to post for a long time as I’ve often remarked on how flavoursome, fragrant and memorable this dressing was.
- A handful of sprigs of fresh rosemary, chopped
- A handful of fresh mint, chopped
- 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme
- 1 Teaspoon of peppercorns
- 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 3 – 4 table spoons of olive oil (increase/decrease based on the size of your meat)
For the dressing…
- In a pestle and mortar, crush the peppercorns and salt together until the mixture resembles a course powder.
- Add the mint, thyme, rosemary and olive oil and mix together.
- Add the crushed garlic and incorporate further into the mix.
- Depending on what you’re cooking you may wish to add more olive oil. The overall consistency should be like that of a sauce or a marinade. If you can marinade your meat for an hour or two before cooking then all the better.
For the meat
- If you’re roasting a leg of lamb in a tray, my advice would be to take a large onion and cut it into disks and sit the meat on top. This will allow the air to get to the base of the joint during roasting, You’ll also end up with lamb roasted onions as a garnish to your dish.
- Take some cloves of garlic and slice length ways. In the leg of lamb, make a number of slits and insert the gloves of garlic. Make some further slits and insert sprigs of rosemary.
- Spread the dressing over the top of the meat, making sure that there’s not too much run off. The more of the meat that’s covered the better – the idea is to marinate the meat not the tin.
A rosemary, thyme, garlic and mint dressing for roast lamb
Lamb Chops with Rosemary Gravy (loin chops, forequarter, cutlets)
FAQ
Is lamb better with thyme or rosemary?
Is thyme good with lamb?
What thyme goes with Lamb?
Whether used fresh or dried, thyme brings a touch of warmth and herbaceousness to lamb dishes. The fresh, bright flavor of mint is a perfect complement to the richness of lamb. Whether used in a mint sauce, as a rub, or as a garnish, mint adds a refreshing and aromatic element to lamb dishes.
Can rosemary leaves be picked, chopped up, and eaten?
Yes. Rosemary is ready to pick as soon as you have an established plant that is putting on new tips and branches. There are two parts of rosemary you can harvest, the tender new tips or the leaves. But all parts of the plant are edible. The leaves contain the most flavor and aromatic oils, and are great for cooking, teas, and many other uses.
How do you season Lamb with thyme?
Thyme is often used in combination with rosemary when cooking lamb as these herbs complement each other very well. To use thyme to season your lamb, strip the leaves from the stems, finely chop and use as a seasoning rub, add to a herb crust, and you can add whole sprigs of thyme to the roasting pan for extra flavor. 3. Sage
What herbs go well with lamb chops?
Some herb combinations that go well with lamb chops are rosemary and thyme, sage and garlic, and coriander and cumin. For lamb stew the best herbs to use are ones with a robust flavor that will last the long cooking time.