Garlic Crusted Lamb Loin With Grand Marnier Roasted Sweet Potato

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 5 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (the little ones are easier to slice when raw)
• 1 (2 1/2 lb) boneless center cut lamb loin roast
• 2 large garlic cloves, crushed and chopped (or 4 little ones)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons light olive oil
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons light olive oil
• 2 oranges, one zested and juiced and the other for slicing (about 3 1/2 tbsp juice and 1 tsp zest)
• 2 teaspoons honey (raw thick type is best)
• 2 tablespoons grand marnier

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350 degrees f.
• 2 let the lamb stand out while you chop the sweet potatoes to prepare for cooking. place the cubed sweet potatoes covering the bottom of a roasting pan to create a rack/bed for the lamb loin to sit on.
• 3 using a sharp knife, score the fat that covers the top of the lamb into square shapes. place the lamb, fat side up, on top of the sweet potatoes.
• 4 in a glass bowl; mash the chopped garlic with a fork then add the 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, and 2 tsp olive oil. continue mashing into a sort of paste. stir well to combine and then rub the garlic mixture into the fat on the lamb and get into the scores real well.
• 5 in another bowl; mix the honey with the orange zest and juice, grand marnier, 1/8 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, and 2 tbsp olive oil.
• 6 stir until all is dissolved then pour all around the lamb over the sweet potatoes.
• 7 slice the other orange and place slices all around the lamb on the sweet potatoes.
• 8 place in the oven, uncovered, and roast for 1 1/2 hours.
• 9 turn the pan and stir the sweet potatoes a little bit about midway thru cooking.
• 10 roast until the internal temperature reaches 150-155 degrees f when a meat thermometer is inserted. (never cut meat to check doneness because it dries it out--get a meat thermometer they are worth it!).
• 11 cover the meat with foil and let it rest for 15-20 minutes before cutting to serve. (meat that is sliced immediately dries out, you want the juices to redistribute. also, the meat's temperature will rise at least 5 more degrees while resting and then it will be a perfect 160 degrees f!).
• 12 serve on a platter surrounded by the sweet potatoes and orange slices!