What is unusual about this recipe is the conspicuous absence of garlic and the addition of artichokes to the roasting pan. Christos Koukoutsis, from the small village of Doloi, was adamant about the garlic when he explained to me how to make his village's Easter specialty. Olive oil—lots of it—is essential.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 4 to 6 servings

　　3 to 4 fresh rosemary sprigs, to taste

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

　　1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　One 3- to 4-pound leg of spring lamb, bone in, trimmed of fat

　　2 pounds all-purpose potatoes, such as Yukon Gold, peeled and quartered

　　Juice of 4 to 6 lemons, to taste

　　12 artichokes, cleaned

　　

Step 1

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a mortar, crush together the leaves from one rosemary sprig, a scant teaspoon salt, a little pepper, and about 1/3 cup of the olive oil. Rub this mixture all over the lamb, then season generously with additional salt and pepper.

　　

Step 2

2. Place the lamb on a rack in a large roasting pan. Place the potatoes in the pan, toss with the remaining olive oil, add a cup of water, and season generously with salt and pepper. Add the remaining rosemary sprigs and half the lemon juice and mix in. Roast for about 30 minutes, tossing the potatoes occasionally and basting the lamb with the pan juices. Add the cleaned artichokes and a little more of the lemon juice and toss with the potatoes in the pan. Continue roasting, basting every 10 to 15 minutes, until the lamb is cooked to the desired doneness, 30 to 40 minutes. Greeks like their lamb medium-well, which will take about 1 hour and 10 minutes from start to finish. Season with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice. Remove from the oven, let the meat stand for 20 minutes to settle the juices, then carve.

　　From The Glorious Foods of Greece, by Diane Kochilas, © 2001, HarperCollins Publishers.