Slow Roasted Lamb with Ramp Yogurt Sauce

For the roast

• 3 lbs of lamb loin roast or leg of lamb
• Fine sea salt
• Black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons nam pla fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• ½ tablespoon sichuan peppercorns

For the yogurt sauce

• 1 large handful ramps/wild garlic
• 1 large handful mint
• 1 large handful cilantro
• Zest of 1 lemon
• ½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 8 ounces Greek yogurt

1. Begin the night before you plan to serve your roast. Arrange on your cutting board or work surface and season the meat generously with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Flip the meat and ensure the reverse is also seasoned. Add to a large Ziploc bag and pour in the olive oil and fish sauce. Seal tightly and move around gently with your hands to help the ingredients mingle. Chill overnight.

2. At least one hour before you plan to start cooking, remove the roast from the fridge so they can come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C). Line a large baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top.

3. In a spice grinder, add the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, and Sichuan peppercorns, and pulse until roughly ground. Open the bag with the meat and pour the ground spices in. Reseal tightly and move around with your hands to ensure the roast is well-coated.

4. Place the roast on the wire rack over the baking sheet. Tent with foil and slow-roast for 3-3 ½ hours. When fully cooked, the roast should be golden on the outside, the meat should be tender and not tough, and the fat should have rendered so it’s melting, not chewy.

5. Shortly before the roast is ready to come out of the oven, prepare the herb yogurt sauce. In the bowl of a food processor, add the ramps, mint, cilantro, lemon zest, salt, sugar, and olive oil. Blend on high, pausing to scrape down the sides with a spatula, until the mixture resembles a pesto.

6. Add the yogurt to a medium bowl. Slowly whisk in the herb mixture. Season to taste. Serve alongside the ribs.

*Recipe credit to: goodbeerhunting.com