Lamb Salad

Roasted lamb top round, a tender and flavorful cut from the leg, is the centerpiece of this composed salad of earthy mushrooms, crisp potatoes, and a garlicky vinaigrette.

Yield: serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 head garlic
2 tbsp. canola oil
2 tbsp. sherry vinegar
2 tbsp. salt-packed capers, rinsed, drained, and finely chopped
2 tbsp. minced shallots
10 oil-packed anchovy filets, drained and finely chopped
12 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 (1 1/2-lb.) lamb top round, trimmed
6 small red new potatoes (about 1/2 lb.), cut into wedges
1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
¹⁄₄ lb. mushrooms, such as oyster or shiitake, stemmed and torn
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme
9 cups loosely packed mixed greens, such as frisée and arugula (about 5 oz.)
¹⁄₂ cup loosely packed mixed flat-leaf parsley and mint leaves
2 tbsp. chopped toasted pistachios

Instructions

Heat oven to 400˚. Cut ¼" off top of garlic head. Rub garlic with 1 tbsp. canola oil; wrap in foil and transfer to oven. Cook garlic until soft, about 1 hour; set aside to let cool. Squeeze the garlic cloves from their skin and finely chop them into a smooth paste; transfer garlic to a medium bowl along with the vinegar, capers, 1 tbsp. shallots, and anchovies. Slowly whisk in 8 tbsp. olive oil and season with salt and pepper; set vinaigrette aside.
Season the lamb generously all over with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining canola oil in a 10" cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the lamb and cook until meat is browned on all sides, about 12 minutes. Transfer skillet to the oven and cook lamb until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 130˚, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a plate, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 30 minutes. (Lamb will continue cooking to medium rare as it rests.)
Increase the oven heat to 475˚. In a medium bowl, toss the potatoes with 2 tbsp. of the olive oil and the rosemary; season with salt and pepper. Transfer the potatoes to a rimmed sheet pan and cook, flipping occasionally, until golden brown and tender, about 20 minutes. Set the potatoes aside.
Heat the remaining olive oil in an 8" skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, flipping them once, until browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining shallots, butter, and thyme and cook, stirring frequently, until the flavors meld, about 1 minute more. Set mushrooms aside on a plate.
Put the mixed greens and the herbs into a large bowl. Whisk the vinaigrette and drizzle most of it over the greens. Toss the greens and season them with salt and pepper; transfer the greens to 4 to 6 plates and divide reserved potatoes and mushrooms between them. Thinly slice lamb against the grain and divide between the plates. Sprinkle remaining vinaigrette over salads and garnish with pistachios.