Roast Leg of Lamb (Easter Sunday — British and Australian)

Roast leg of lamb is Easter Sunday's primary meat course across Britain, Australia, and New Zealand — the tradition of eating young lamb at Easter connects the Christian symbolism of Christ as the 'Lamb of God' with the ancient spring lamb season, when young animals born in winter are at their optimal weight and flavour for the table. A well-roasted leg of lamb — pink at the centre, with crackling fat, studded with garlic and rosemary, served with mint sauce — is one of the most satisfying preparations in the British repertoire. The mint sauce (fresh mint, sugar, and vinegar) is the traditional British accompaniment, a relationship so established that roast lamb without mint sauce is considered incomplete by most British diners. In Australia and New Zealand, the tradition is identical but often accompanied by smoky lamb preparations on the barbecue alongside the roast.