This recipe is best if you can allow the lamb to marinate with the herb mixture for 12 to 24 hours prior to cooking. A good, earthy Bordeaux pairs well with this recipe, or a full-bodied Syrah with notes of black fruit and herbs. If there are any leftovers, they make a fantastic cold lunch the next day—packed between thick slices of country bread, or served alongside a crisp green salad with tomato, feta and olives.

Finely chop all herbs and mince the garlic. Place herbs, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper into a bowl and combine. Using your hands, rub mixture all over the lamb leg. At this point, you can set the lamb back in the fridge to marinate for 12 to 24 hours, or roast right away. If you refrigerate it, take it out of the fridge and allow it to stand for 20 minutes or so before roasting.

When ready to roast the lamb, heat oven or barbecue to 450°F. Place lamb leg into roasting pan and put in hot oven, or directly on the grill in hot barbecue. After 10 minutes, turn heat down to 325°F. Allow leg to roast until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads 125 to 135°F for medium-rare or 135 to 145°F for medium (about 1 ½ to 2 hours). The temperature will continue to rise up to 5° after lamb is removed from heat.

Remove from oven or barbecue, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes before carving. Transfer to serving platter and drizzle with the herb-rich pan juices.