Roast leg of lamb with baby potatoes and pan juices
Serves 6 to 10.
| 6- to 10-pound bone-in leg of lamb | |
| 12 | cloves garlic |
| ½ | cup fresh rosemary leaves, chopped |
| ½ | cup olive oil |
| Salt and pepper, to taste | |
| 2 | pounds fingerling, new, or baby Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 2-inch pieces |
| 10 | whole peeled shallots |
| 1½ | cups chicken stock |
| 1 | cup dry red wine |
2. Pat the lamb dry with paper towels. Make deep slits all over the meat. Push whole garlic cloves into the slits.
3. In a small bowl, combine the rosemary, ¼ cup of the oil, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Rub the herb mixture all over lamb, pushing it into the slits.
4. In the roasting pan, toss together the potatoes, shallots, remaining ¼ cup oil, salt, and pepper.
5. Place lamb directly on potato mixture. Pour ½ cup of the stock into the pan. Roast about 20 minutes or until the meat is seared.
6. Lower oven temperature to 300 degrees. Continue roasting for 1½ to 2½ hours, or until a meat thermometer registers 125 to 135 degrees for medium-rare to medium. Transfer the lamb and potatoes to a warm platter; keep warm for 20 minutes.
7. Pour off all but a few tablespoons of fat from the roasting pan. Set it on the stovetop over two burners. Turn the heat to high and pour in the remaining 1 cup stock and the wine, scraping the bottom of the pan. Boil for 10 to 15 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by half. Set a strainer over a bowl and strain the sauce into the bowl. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper, if you like.
8. Carve the roast into thin slices, drizzle with pan juices, and serve with the potatoes.
Adapted from ''How to Cook Meat" 