Roast Lamb for a Springtime Feast

For your Easter table—or any spring celebration—take inspiration from the Mediterranean

This simple roast incorporates the sunny Mediterranean flavors of lemon, cinnamon, and extra-virgin olive oil, along with the ubiquitous additions of garlic, onions, and tomatoes. Courtesy of Amy Riolo

The versatility of lamb is one of its greatest features. Whether you’re preparing Italian, Greek, Chinese, Indian, Mexican, French, or Scottish cuisine, a good roasted lamb dish can be the crowning glory of your meal.

Springtime and lamb meat have gone hand in hand since ancient times. The conveniences of our modern world enable us to enjoy our favorite ingredients year-round, and although that is a wonderful advantage, having foods always available to us makes us forget the important rituals that surround eating them. In antiquity, many cultures incorporated lamb meat into their Easter menus, just as people in the Mediterranean still do today.

Easter Memories

I grew up eating lamb as part of our Greek Easter celebrations because my step-grandmother, whom I referred to as Yia-Yia, was a Greek American whose family hailed from Nafpaktos. Since my grandparents lived next door to us, I always had an opportunity to celebrate the holiday and enjoy all of its traditional foods.