Ingredients

3/4 cups of pine nuts (4 ounces)

2 cups packed basil leaves, plus 2 tbsps chapped basil

2/3 cup plus 1 tbsp extra virgin oil

3 slices of packaged white bread, toasted and torn into pieces

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest

Kosher salt and fresh pepper

Cayenne pepper

5 pound trimmed and butterflied boneless leg of lamb

3 tbsp unsalted butter

2 thyme sprins

3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
  2. Spread the pin nuts on a baking sheet and toast until golden, about 5 minutes. Let cool.
  3. Fill a small bowl with ice water. In a small saucepan of boiling water, blanch the basil leaves for 10 seconds. Drain and immediately transfer to the ice water. Drain and squeeze dry.
  4. Place the basil in a food processor with 1/3 cup of warm olive oil and puree until fairly smooth.
  5. Add the toast, 1 garlic clove, 2 tsp of lemon zest and 1/2 cup of pine nuts and pulse until coarsely choppped.
  6. Season with salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper
  7. Set the lamb on a work surface fat side down and season it with salt and pepper. Rub half of the masil mixture on the meat. Roll up the meat and tie it at 1 inch intervals with string.
  8. In a roasting pan, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil. Add the lamb to the pan and cook over high heat, turning occasionally, until browned all over, about 10 minutes.
  9. Add the butter, thyme and the remaining garlic clove to the roasting pan and cook for 1 minute, basting the lamb.
  10. Transfer the lamb to the oven. Roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes turning once or twice
  11. Cook until an instant read thermometer registers 130 for medium rarte.
  12. Preheat the broiler. Transfer the lamb to a cutting board and remove the strings
  13. Spread the remaining basil mixture over the roast and return the meat to the pan. Broil it 8 inches from the heat for 5 minutes, until the crust is lightly browned and sizzling
  14. Transfer to cutting board and let set for twenty minutes.
  15. In a bowl, whisk the lemon juice with the mustard. Whisk in the remaining 1/3 cup of olive oil, 1/4 cup of pine nuts, i teaspoon of lemon zest and the chopped basil. Season with salt and pepper then drizzle over the meat.