This is a good, old-fashioned showstopper of an entree, the kind of dish where you should not pretend to be bashful – “What, this old thing? I just threw it together from stuff in the fridge” – but rather take your accolades with modesty and grace.

I have been playing around with slow/low braises, with a quick blast of high heat at the end to form a crust. I am also a sucker for almost any kind of protein (from a sliced roast to a filet of fish) finished with a pile of herby greens. The contrast of warm and cool, rich and fresh, tender and crisp – it gets me every time, and I hope you’ll agree. If you want a deeper flavor, rub the lamb with the marinade, loosely tent with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Bring the lamb to room temperature before cooking.

This would be great served over couscous, either Lebanese, Israeli or Mediterranean, or classic small couscous. If you wanted to add a creamy, saucy note, you could mix up some crème fraiche or Greek yogurt with a few pinches of ground coriander, cumin, a lemon’s worth of juice and a handful of chopped fresh parsley.

Slow-Cooked, Herbed Leg of Lamb with Fresh Herb and Arugula SaladServings: 10 to 12

Start to finish: 3 1/2 hours

Ingredients:For the lamb:One 6-pound semi-boneless leg of lamb3 garlic cloves2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves2 teaspoons ground coriander1 teaspoon smoked paprika1 teaspoon ground cuminKosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste1 cup dry white wine1 cup chicken broth2 tablespoons honeyFor the herb salad:2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil1 teaspoon honeyKosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste1 red onion, halved and thinly slivered2 cups arugula1/2 cup fresh chervil leaves1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves1/2 cup fresh parsley leavesServe with cooked Israeli, Mediterranean or Lebanese couscousMethod:Preheat the oven to 225 F.

In a small food processor, combine the garlic, oregano, thyme, coriander, paprika, cumin, and salt and pepper. Rub the mixture all over the lamb and let it sit for about 45 minutes to come to room temperature.

Combine the white wine, chicken broth and 2 tablespoons honey in a roasting pan, and season with salt and pepper. Place the lamb in the roasting pan, fat side up.

Cook the lamb for 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 hours, until a meat thermometer registers an internal temperature of 125 F. Turn the heat to 500 F and roast for another 15 minutes, until the top and sides get a bit browned (the oven temperature might not get all the way to 500 F in 15 minutes, which is fine). Check the temperature: 125 F will give you rare meat, 130 to 135 F will be medium rare. Remove the meat from the oven and let it rest on a cutting board for at least 30 minutes so that the juices stay in the meat when you cut it.

Just before you are ready to carve the meat, combine the lemon juice, olive oil and 1 teaspoon honey in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the sliced onions. Add the arugula, chervil, cilantro and parsley to the bowl, and toss to coat with the dressing.

Place the hot couscous on a large serving platter. Slice the lamb and arrange it over the couscous. Arrange the herb salad over the meat and serve.

Nutrition information per serving: 306 calories; 84 calories from fat; 9 g fat (3 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 145 mg cholesterol; 304 mg sodium; 4 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 48 g protein.

Katie Workman has written two cookbooks focused on easy, family-friendly cooking, Dinner Solved! and The Mom 100 Cookbook. She blogs at http://www.themom100.com/about-katie-workman/