When fall comes around, it brings many iconic flavors, festive traditions, and family meals, along with cravings for warm, hearty dishes. For your next gathering of loved ones, whether it’s a special occasion, sporting event, or simply spending quality time together, serve a classic comfort food perfect for a small crowd.

While a roast leg of lamb may be considered time-intensive or best suited for special occasions, it can be a surprisingly stress-free dish to prepare at home. A simple way to update familiar dishes, grass-fed lamb, available at your local Whole Foods Market, is easy to cook; prepare it the same way you would grass-fed beef.

This grass-fed leg of lamb recipe, for example, requires little fuss and the oven does the work for you. Infused with garlic and thyme, topped with a creamy meat sauce, and garnished with a side of seasonal produce, you can delight your family and friends with this tender and delicious meal.

Plus, New Zealand grass-fed lamb is a lean, finely textured, and flavorful protein, well-suited for a variety of dishes.

Grass-Fed Leg of Lamb

Makes eight servings

4-1/2 to 5-1/2 pounds Atkins Ranch grass-fed leg of lamb, at room temperature

1-3/4 ounces butter, softened

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon roughly chopped thyme leaves

Salt, to taste

Ground black pepper, to taste

1 to 2 handfuls thyme sprigs

1 onion, sliced

1/2 cup olive oil

Meat Sauce

1 cup beef stock

3/4 cup crème fraiche or sour cream

Lemon zest, finely grated

1 tablespoon wine vinegar

1 bay leaf

Salt, to taste

Optional: sautéed mushrooms, sautéed green beans, or steamed carrots and snap peas

Heat oven to 320 degrees. To prepare lamb: Using sharp knife, make 4-5 shallow slits in lamb. In bowl, mix butter, garlic, and chopped thyme. Coat butter mixture in slits and sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper, to taste.

Place thyme sprigs and sliced onion in base of roasting tin and place lamb on top. Drizzle olive oil over lamb. Roast for 2 hours and 45 minutes.

To make meat sauce: Remove lamb from oven 30 minutes before end of cooking time. Place lamb on board, then tip juices into saucepan. Place lamb back in roasting tin and return to oven.

Skim fat off the roasting juices. Add beef stock to remaining juices and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add crème fraiche or sour cream, lemon zest, vinegar, and bay leaf. Simmer until sauce reduces some. Season with salt to counteract acidity.

Remove lamb from the oven and rest, covered loosely with foil and tea towel for 10 minutes before carving.

Strain sauce into bowl or gravy boat and serve hot with lamb and sautéed mushrooms, green beans, or steamed carrots and snap peas, if desired.

All materials courtesy of Family Features. For more information, cooking tips and recipes, visit beefandlambnz.com