Char-grilled herb-marinated leg of lamb topped with a tangy feta yogurt dressing and fresh minty salad is the perfect warm entrée to serve at a spring May Day celebration!
With May Day fast approaching, I’ve been taking inspiration from fresh spring flavours for my May Day menu this year. Spring lamb is a natural choice for the entrée. I have paired it with a tangy, intensely flavoured feta yogurt dressing. A handful of lightly dressed peppery arugula and fresh mint creates a delicious contrast of flavours and textures. The lamb can be served warm or room temperature for an utterly captivating entrée.
Leaping over bonfires may have been a common May Day practice for our ancient ancestors, but it’s far less practical to accomplish today. Instead, a butterflied, herb-marinated leg of lamb is grilled over the flame to capture the charred essence of those ancient bonfires. Drizzled with a garlicky feta yogurt dressing and topped with a fresh, minty salad, this flavourful grilled leg of lamb is the perfect centrepiece for your May Day feast!
Ingredients
Leg of lamb: You will need a butterflied, boneless leg of lamb for this recipe. While it is relatively easy to find a boneless leg of lamb, you will need to either butterfly it yourself or have your butcher do it for you. Butterflying the lamb to create an even thickness will ensure that the meat cooks evenly throughout.
Arugula: A lightly dressed salad of baby arugula balances the richness of the grilled lamb. I love the peppery bite of arugula and find that it creates an incredibly balanced final dish. However, you could certainly substitute with mixed baby greens or other greens if you prefer.
Mint: Mint and lamb are a classic pairing for a reason. This recipe uses both dried and fresh mint; however, you can substitute fresh mint for the dried in the marinade. Fresh mint leaves in the yogurt dressing and tossed into the arugula salad adds a freshness to this grilled lamb dish.
How to make Grilled Leg of Lamb with Feta Yogurt Dressing
Prep the lamb
To butterfly, unroll the lamb and, using a sharp knife, make deep cuts into the thick parts to open the meat out like a book. Trim any excess fat and remove any silver skin. Silver skin is connective tissue that looks shiny and won’t tenderize with cooking. Once the lamb is prepped, place in a large ziploc bag or container.
Marinate the lamb
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, dried mint, kosher salt and pepper. Pour the marinade over the lamb and seal the bag. Refrigerate the lamb for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight. Flip the lamb several times while marinating.
Make the feta yogurt dressing
Roughly chop the parsley and fresh mint leaves. In a food processor, combine half of the yogurt, the crumbled feta cheese and the minced garlic. Add the zest of one lemon along with juice from one half of the lemon. Reserve the other half lemon for the salad. Add the chopped parsley and mint, kosher salt, and pepper. Blend until the herbs are finely chopped.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and whisk in the remaining yogurt. Whisking in the remaining yogurt will help to thicken the dressing. Chill until ready to serve.
Grill the leg of lamb
Take the leg of lamb out of the fridge 30 to 60 minutes before you intend to grill it. Heat a grill, or barbecue, until the temperature reaches between 450°F and 500°F.
Lightly grease the grill grate and place the lamb directly on the grill. Grill on one side for 7 to 10 minutes. Rotate the lamb half way through the cook time if you want to create grill marks. Flip the leg lamb over and cook on the other side until it reaches an internal temperature between 130°F and 135°F.
Remove the leg of lamb onto a serving platter and tent with foil. Allow to rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
Serve the Grilled Leg of Lamb with Feta Yogurt Dressing
While the lamb is resting, prep the arugula salad. Toss together the baby arugula and fresh mint leaves. Squeeze the remaining half lemon over the greens and drizzle with a little olive oil. Sprinkle the salad with kosher salt and toss together.
Thinly slice the leg of lamb, making sure to cut against the grain. Arrange the lamb slices on a large serving platter and drizzle with the feta yogurt dressing. Top with the arugula mint salad and enjoy!
More Recipes to celebrate May Day
- Roasted Rhubarb Fennel Salad with Burrata
- May Day: A Celebration of Spring
- The May Queen Floral Cocktail
- Sweet Woodruff Cocktail
- Fried Goat Cheese Balls with Honey and Fennel Pollen
- Dandelion Pesto Twists with Baked Camembert
- Tarragon Vermouth Roast Chicken and Smashed Potato Salad
- Lemon Elderflower Cupcakes
- Floral Honey Posset
Grilled Leg of Lamb with Feta Yogurt Dressing
Ingredients
- 2 - 2½ lb boneless leg of lamb butterflied
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried mint or 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
Feta Yogurt Dressing
- 1 cup greek yogurt divided
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup feta cheese crumbled
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- zest of 1 lemon
- juice of ½ lemon reserve other half
- ¼ cup loosely packed fresh parsley
- ¼ cup loosely packed fresh mint
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ⅛ tsp pepper
To Serve
- 4 cups baby arugula
- ¼ cup loosely packed fresh mint
- reserved juice of ½ lemon
- olive oil as needed
- pinch kosher salt
Instructions
- To butterfly, unroll the lamb and, using a sharp knife, make deep cuts into the thick parts to open the meat out like a book. Trim any excess fat and remove any silver skin. Silver skin is connective tissue that looks shiny and won't tenderize with cooking. Once the lamb is prepped, place in a large ziploc bag or container.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, dried mint, kosher salt and pepper. Pour the marinade over the lamb and seal the bag. Refrigerate the lamb for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight. Flip the lamb several times while marinating.
Feta Yogurt Dressing
- Roughly chop the parsley and fresh mint leaves. In a food processor, combine half of the yogurt, the crumbled feta cheese and the minced garlic. Add the zest of one lemon along with juice from one half of the lemon. Reserve the other half lemon for the salad. Add the chopped parsley and mint, kosher salt, and pepper. Blend until the herbs are finely chopped.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl and whisk in the remaining yogurt. Whisking in the remaining yogurt will help to thicken the dressing. Chill until ready to serve.
To Serve
- Take the leg of lamb out of the fridge 30 to 60 minutes before you intend to grill it. Heat a grill, or barbecue, until the temperature reaches between 450°F and 500°F.
- Lightly grease the grill grate and place the lamb directly on the grill. Grill on one side for 7 to 10 minutes. Rotate the lamb half way through the cooking time if you want to create grill marks. Flip the leg lamb over and cook on the other side until it reaches an internal temperature between 130°F and 135°F.
- Remove the leg of lamb onto a serving platter and tent with foil. Allow to rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
- While the lamb is resting, prep the arugula salad. Toss together the baby arugula and fresh mint leaves. Squeeze the remaining half lemon over the greens and drizzle with a little olive oil. Sprinkle the salad with kosher salt and toss together.
- Thinly slice the leg of lamb, making sure to cut against the grain. Arrange the lamb slices on a large serving platter and drizzle with the feta yogurt dressing. Top with the arugula mint salad and enjoy!