Traditional and delicious Easter lamb

My mother always cooked leg of lamb for Easter, and the delicious smell would fill the house as it cooked.  My father would dust off his favorite carving knife, while my mother would laid out the " good" China. I would polish the silverware and think about the incredible meal to come...

Traditional Easter Lamb

1 leg of lamb (ranging from 8 to 10 pounds), bone-in
1 tbsp. fine sea salt
2 tsp. ground white pepper
1 tbsp. ground cumin
1 tbsp. ground coriander
10 garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
1 small bunch thyme
4 "stems" fresh rosemary
2 lbs. small potatoes, washed and dried (optional)
2 lbs. small onions, peeled (optional)
2 tbsp. smooth mustard (optional)

1.  Preheat the oven to 500 F.

2.  Place the leg of lamb on a flat surface and trim any excess of fat. Remember that a little fat is good for long-term roasting, because it keeps the meat from drying out (and it tastes delicious!).

3.  In a small bowl, combine the elements of what is, in essence, a dry rub. Combine the salt, pepper, cumin, and coriander. Mix to blend and rub all around the outside of the lamb. Use a small knife to cut 20 shallow incisions all around the leg and insert a half a clove of garlic in each one. Make another deep cut close to the top of the bone and insert the small bunch of thyme. The herbs will be protected by the meat (much like when they are inserted in the cavity of a chicken), instead of drying out on the surface of the meat.

4.  Place the meat in a roasting pan. If you have a rack, place the meat on the rack inside the roasting pan. I love to put some small potatoes and onions in the bottom (with a  little water to prevent burning) and allow the vegetables to be "basted" by the drippings as they cook.

5.  My rule for large cuts of meat, particularly ones with the bone in, is to allow about 15 minutes for each pound of meat.  After 15 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 425 F. When you remove the lamb from the oven, allow the meat to "rest" for at least 20 minutes before carving.

I reserve the rosemary to be sprinkled raw over the meat. When rosemary is cooked too long, it tastes medicinal instead of herbaceous and fresh. Stem the rosemary and mix it with the drippings (and/or the vegetables) and the mustard (if using). Baste the meat with the juices. Carve and serve immediately.