Sep 18, 2008

Roast Baby Lamb with Wild Fennel

Very young baby lamb (about two weeks old, with a dressed weight of about 8 lbs.) is widely available in Italy. Lamb this size (occasionally called hothouse lamb) is sometimes sold in this country in Italian and Greek butcher shops, but older baby lamb, weighing 15–20 lbs. dressed, is more common. If you are able to find a 7–8-lb. lamb, roast it as in recipe below, but decrease final cooking time to 2–2 1/2 hours.

Credit: Brooke Slezak

1 7–8 lbs. baby lamb (from 1 side of a 15-lb.
dressed baby lamb), cut into thirds
6 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more form drizzling
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 large handfuls wild or cultivated fennel fronds

1. Preheat oven to 425°. Line a large roasting pan with parchment paper. Put cut up lamb into pan. Rub all over with 6 tbsp. of the olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Tuck 2 handfuls of the fennel fronds between pieces of lamb and scatter remaining handful over lamb.

2. Drizzle a little more olive oil on top of lamb and fennel, then roast until lamb just begins to brown, 35–40 minutes. Cover lamb with more parchment paper and lay a metal spoon on top of paper to hold it down. Reduce oven temperature to 275° and roast until meat is fork tender, 3–3 1/2 hours more. Set aside for 15–20 minutes before serving.

SERVES 8