Prep time: 25 minutes + 30 minutes | Cook time: 2 hours | Serves: 8 to 10

INGREDIENTS

Turkish-Spiced Lamb:
1 (4 to 5-pound) boneless leg of lamb
2 fennel bulbs, fronds reserved and cut into 8 wedges through the core
2 small red onions, cut into ½-inch thick wedges
3 lemons, cut into halves
2 full heads of garlic, broken into cloves, whole and unpeeled
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons for drizzling
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon sumac
1 tablespoon cracked coriander seeds
½ tablespoon cracked cumin seeds
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 to 3 cups chicken stock
Kosher salt, to taste

Buttery Crispy Jeweled Rice:
2 cups long grain basmati rice
1 teaspoon saffron threads (or scant ¼ teaspoon saffron powder)
1 stick unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 cinnamon stick or ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 navel orange, juiced
1/3 cup dried currants
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Garlic Herb Sauce (optional):
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed or creamed
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
Reserved fennel fronds

INSTRUCTIONS

For the Turkish-Spiced Lamb:

Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Remove the leg of lamb from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Quarter your fennel and red onions and save the fennel fronds. Place the fennel, lemons, red onions, and all except 6 cloves of unpeeled garlic in the bottom of a roasting pan, drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, season with salt, and place the rack on top.

Remove lamb from netting (if applicable) and use a knife to cut so that lamb lays flat with relatively even thickness. Cut away any extra gristle and thick fat from inside the lamb. Flip the lamb over and score the fat cap in a crisscross pattern using a paring knife with shallow cuts. Season the lamb with salt.

Peel the reserved garlic cloves and finely chop, then combine with the ¼ cup olive oil, oregano, mint, sumac, coriander, cinnamon, and cumin in a small bowl to form a paste. Rub the mixture all over the leg of lamb, especially in the crisscross creases. Roll your lamb back into its original round form (fat cap facing up) and tie off six times with kitchen twine.

Place the leg of lamb, fat side up, on the roasting rack. Add enough stock to coat the pan about ¼ to ½-inch and roast at 450ºF for 20 minutes. Lower the oven to 350ºF and continue roasting for about 50 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 135ºF for medium-rare (start checking at 40 minutes!). Add additional stock as needed to keep the pan from burning. Remove from the oven and tent with foil to rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving. Spoon the lamb juices over the top of the meat.

For the Buttery Crispy Jeweled Rice:

Rinse the rice in a fine mesh sieve until the water runs clear. Combine the saffron with ¼ cup warm water in a small bowl to bloom. Set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rice and boil for 5 to 6 minutes until doubled in size and floating. Drain in a fine mesh sieve and rinse with cold water.

In the same pot, melt about 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the almonds, cinnamon, cardamom, and cumin and toast until fragrant. Add the orange juice and currants and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Remove to a bowl.

Melt the remaining butter in the large pot over medium-high heat. Once melted, add half of the rice in an even layer, top with the onion mixture (remove the cinnamon stick) then finish with the remaining rice. Drizzle with the saffron liquid. Using the end of a wooden spoon, make 4 to 5 holes in the rice mixture. Reduce the heat to low, place a clean kitchen towel on top of the pot and then the heavy lid. Allow the rice to cook for 30 minutes on low heat then turn off the heat and allow the rice to steam for 10 minutes.

Scoop (or flip!) the rice onto a serving platter, being sure to get the crispy bits off the bottom!

For the Garlic Herb Sauce (optional):

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, pressed garlic, lemon zest and juice, fennel fronds, oregano, mint, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon over the lamb and vegetables for a bright, acidic finish if desired.