Photo of Roasted lamb with smashed potatoes and asparagus by WW

Roasted lamb with smashed potatoes and asparagus

5
Points®
Total Time
1 hr 40 min
Prep
20 min
Cook
1 hr 20 min
Serves
12
Difficulty
Moderate
This is a stunning, wonderful entrée, featuring roasted lamb, smashed potatoes, and perfectly cooked asparagus, worthy of any dinner party or family get-together. It requires a bit of coordination, but the deliciousness that results is well worth it. For added convenience, you can rub the lamb with the garlic-herb oil and let it to sit, covered, in the refrigerator for 24 hours before you cook it. You can also change the flavor profile of the roast by changing up the rub: try sage or oregano instead of the thyme, make your own mustard paste, or simply rub a little salt, pepper, olive oil, and parsley all over the lamb.

Ingredients

Uncooked lean and trimmed lamb leg

2½ pound(s), boneless, trimmed and tied into a roast

Table salt

2 tsp, divided

Rosemary

2 tsp, fresh, finely minced (or to taste)

Fresh thyme

2 tsp, fresh, finely minced (or to taste)

Garlic

6 clove(s), finely minced

Olive oil

2 Tbsp, divided

Uncooked potato

3 pound(s), fingerling suggested, scrubbed but not peeled

Asparagus

3 pound(s), washed and trimmed

Olive oil cooking spray

4 spray(s)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425ºF.
  2. To make lamb, set lamb in a large roasting pan. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 teaspoon of salt, rosemary, thyme, garlic and 1 teaspoon of oil; rub all over lamb. Place pan in middle of oven and cook for 20 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 300ºF and roast until desired degree of doneness, about 25 to 30 minutes more. Remove lamb to a cutting board or serving platter and allow it to rest, loosely covered with aluminum foil, for 10 to 20 minutes before slicing across the grain; spoon any juices over top.
  3. After lamb has been removed from oven, increase oven temperature to 425ºF.
  4. To make potatoes, while lamb is roasting, heat a large pot of water over high heat; boil or steam potatoes until just fork tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Do not allow potatoes to become mushy.
  5. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. Using 2 teaspoons of oil, place 12 dots of oil on each sheet. Place a potato on a dot of oil and carefully smash it with a spatula or back of a small bowl or plate. (You want it smashed but not in pieces.) Repeat until all potatoes have been smashed. Drizzle 2 teaspoons of oil over potatoes and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt. Roast potatoes until desired crispness, about 25 to 30 minutes.
  6. Meanwhile, to make asparagus, coat another baking sheet with cooking spray; top with asparagus. Drizzle remaining teaspoon of oil over asparagus; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and roll asparagus to coat. Roast at 425ºF until tender, about 10 to 14 minutes, depending on asparagus size.
  7. Yields about 2 potatoes, 3 ounces of lamb and 4 to 6 asparagus spears per serving.