Coriander-Crusted Leg of Lamb with Arugula and Feta Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette Recipe
- by Chef David Rose
- Last updated Mar 9, 2023
If you have a big occasion on the horizon or just want to treat yourself and your family to an impressive and sophisticated meal, this coriander-crusted leg of lamb with arugula and feta salad with pomegranate vinaigrette recipe is more than up to the task. Not taking the lengthy lamb thawing time into account, this culinary masterpiece can be achieved within one hour, with only an additional 15 minutes of prep time! So, if you’re looking for a dish that tastes complex but won’t take up your whole day to prepare, herd this unique recipe onto your next menu and enjoy!
Why We Love This Lamb Recipe
If you’ve got flavor fatigue from chicken, beef, and pork, this lamb recipe is here to shake up your taste buds. From the grassy and well-balanced leg of lamb, coated in a sweet yet tart handmade rub, and the savory, juicy goodness of a simple lamb jus to a peppery arugula side salad boasting creamy feta and nutty seeds, complemented by a wonderfully vibrant pomegranate vinaigrette, this is truly a meal for the ages.
Tools You’ll Need Before You Start
- 2 Small Mixing Bowls
- 1 Medium Mixing Bowl
- 1 Large Serving Bowl
- 1 Large Cast-Iron Pan
- 1 Roasting Pan with Rack
- 1 Small Sauce Pot
- 1 Fine Sieve
- 1 Whisk
- Meat Thermometer
How to Cook Coriander-Crusted Leg of Lamb with Arugula and Feta Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette
A meal this impressive and time-consuming deserves only the best leg of lamb to serve as its epic centerpiece. That’s why we wouldn’t dream of making it with anything but Omaha Steaks New Zealand Boneless Leg of Lamb. This lean, yet robust, protein is imported directly from the source in New Zealand, where it’s humanely pasture-raised and sustained on eco-friendly native grasses to produce perfect marbling, a subtle earthy flavor, and exquisite tenderness. Omaha Steaks master butchers meticulously trim each leg for the most even cooking experience and then flash-freeze them to lock in that luscious flavor until you’re ready to enjoy!
1. Craft a Citrusy and Savory Rub
While your leg of lamb is bursting with mouthwatering natural flavors, this coriander rub truly raises the bar to achieve next-level taste. This versatile rub may be long on ingredients – eight to be exact – but preparing it is short on time and effort. Simply combine your clean-tasting kosher salt, tart and refreshing coriander, fragrant and delicate marjoram, earthy and pungent oregano, rich and warm cumin, mildly sweet paprika, woody black pepper, and concentrated garlic powder in a small mixing bowl and keep it handy for the next step.
2. Get a Leg (Of Lamb) Up on Robust Flavor
As the main attraction of this awe-inspiring and sophisticated meal, the finished result will be worth the effort you put into this step. You will need to first thaw your leg of lamb in the refrigerator for 24 to 26 hours, so schedule your meal accordingly. Once thoroughly thawed, take your lamb from the refrigerator and remove the butcher’s twine. Next, pat dry with a paper towel to ensure your exquisite coriander rub sticks properly and then rub your lamb with three tablespoons of high-smoke-point grapeseed oil and season generously on all sides with your rub.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F while you allow your lamb to come to room temperature on the counter, which should take about one hour. When your lamb is ready, add the remaining four tablespoons of grapeseed oil to a large cast-iron pan and bring it to medium-high heat. Now you’re ready to begin cooking your lamb! Sear it in your cast-iron pan on all sides, about one and a half to two minutes per side, to achieve a gloriously browned crust.
Next, add your savory beef stock, sharp-tasting onion, anise-like fennel, crunchy and bitter celery, and raw and pungent garlic cloves to the bottom of a roasting pan, cover with the roasting rack, and add your seared lamb. Place the roasting pan in the oven and cook for about one hour or until the internal temperature reaches 125 degrees F to achieve medium-rare doneness.
Next, remove from the oven and allow it to rest for 15 minutes before slicing so those savory juices can redistribute throughout for an out-of-this-world bite. Don’t worry about your lamb being undercooked, even though you’ve removed it from the oven, carry-over cooking will raise the internal temperature 5-10 degrees while it rests. Don’t want medium-rare doneness? Keep it in the oven for a few extra minutes until it’s cooked to your liking!
3. Lamb Jus for You!
It would be a crime to let those savory, flavor-packed pan drippings go to waste, so we’re going to make a simple lamb jus to serve with your meal. First, remove the vegetables from the roasting pan and then strain the pan drippings with a fine sieve to remove any solids. Add half of the drippings to a small sauce pot and, while it’s coming to a boil, add the other half to a small bowl. Whisk your cornstarch into the drippings in the bowl until it completely dissolves and then whisk that combination into the drippings in the sauce pan until they thicken into a gravy-like consistency and salt and pepper to taste.
4. No Basic Salad Dressings Here!
You didn’t spend all this time and effort only to serve a boring old side salad with this impressive meal! That’s why we’re mixing up a unique and elegant pomegranate vinaigrette for your arugula salad. To prepare it, simply combine nutrient-absorbing olive oil, sweet and tart pomegranate juice, sharp and deeply flavored stone ground mustard or Dijon mustard, sweet agave nectar, strong and spicy prepared horseradish, acidic apple cider vinegar, and zesty and fiery crushed red pepper in a medium bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper!
5. Mix Up a Divine Salad
Just when you thought this meal couldn’t be more delicious or elevated, it’s time to make a salad that stands out all on its own. Add your peppery and slightly spicy baby arugula, tangy and creamy feta cheese, and nutty and crunchy pepitas to a large serving bowl. Then sparingly add your pomegranate vinaigrette (you can serve the rest on the side for those who crave a bolder flavor), season with salt and pepper, and lightly toss!
Coriander-Crusted Leg of Lamb with Arugula and Feta Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Coriander Rub
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons coriander
- 1 teaspoon marjoram
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Leg of Lamb
Coriander rub
- 7 tablespoons grapeseed oil
- 1 large yellow onion, large diced
- 1 medium fennel bulb, large diced
- 3 celery stalks, large diced
- 3 whole garlic cloves
- 2 cups beef stock
Lamb Jus
- Pan drippings
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- Salt and pepper
Pomegranate Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup pomegranate juice
- 1 tablespoon stone ground mustard or Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar
- 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- Salt and pepper
Arugula Salad
- 5 oz. baby arugula
- 3 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 oz. pepitas, roasted and salted pumpkin seeds
- Pomegranate vinaigrette
- Salt and pepper
- Instructions
Instructions
Coriander Rub
- Add all ingredients in a small mixing bowl and stir together until well incorporated.
Leg of Lamb
- Thaw leg of lamb in refrigerator for 24 to 26 hours.
- Take lamb out of refrigerator and remove butcher’s twine.
- Pat dry with paper towel then rub lamb with 3 tablespoons of grapeseed oil and season generously with prepared coriander rub on all sides; allow lamb to come to room temperature on counter for one hour.
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large cast-iron pan, add remaining grapeseed oil and bring to medium-high heat.
- Sear lamb in cast-iron pan on all sides to get a nice, browned crust; about one and a half to two minutes on each side.
- In a roasting pan, add beef stock, onion, fennel, celery, and garlic cloves to the bottom, add roasting rack, then place lamb on top of roasting rack.
- Place roasting pan in oven and cook lamb for about one hour, until internal temperature of 125 degrees Fahrenheit, for medium-rare doneness, then remove from oven and let lamb rest for 15 minutes before slicing (carry-over cooking will raise internal temperature 5 to 10 degrees while resting.) Cook longer for more desired doneness.
Lamb Jus
- Remove vegetables from roasting pan and strain pan drippings with a fine sieve.
- Place half of the pan drippings in a small sauce pot and bring to a boil.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, place the other half of pan drippings and whisk in cornstarch until completely incorporated and dissolved, then whisk into the sauce pot until pan drippings thicken slightly to a gravy-like consistency; season to taste with salt and pepper.
Pomegranate Vinaigrette
- Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Arugula Salad
- Place baby arugula, feta cheese, and pepitas in large bowl.
- Sparingly add pomegranate vinaigrette and a pinch of salt and pepper to bowl and lightly toss.
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