My wife and I enjoy a wide variety of people, but especially those who appreciate good food. This dish always reminds us of Jeff & Eileen, our two foodie friends who introduced it to us at an Easter dinner many years ago.
This 4-ingredient recipe (well, there are actually 5 ingredients if you include the water) works on many levels – it’s dead easy and affordable, it fills the house with the enticing aromas of garlic and Rosemary, its flavor is fantastic, it makes plenty of leftovers and it begs for a nice earthy red wine!
Ingredients
3 ½ - 4 lbs bone-in leg of lamb
3-5 Garlic cloves (not the whole bulb), peeled
1 Oz Sea salt
1 Tbsp olive oil
3-4 Rosemary sprigs, about 6 inches long
Procedure
Pre-heat oven to 375℉.
On a large cutting board, using the flat side of a broad knife, smash the garlic, remove the peel and mince the garlic. Add the oil and salt and, using them as grit, chop and mash the garlic into a fine paste, then spread evenly on lamb and give it a good massage.
Place the meat on a wire rack in a roasting pan. Add hot water to a depth of about one inch and float the Rosemary sprigs on the water. Lovers of bold flavors may want to place an extra sprig or two on top of the lamb, but the herb is so aromatic it can quickly overpower.
Put the leg in the oven and set a timer for 15 minutes per pound plus 15 minutes (ex. – a 4-pound roast would get 4 X 15 = 60 minutes, plus the extra 15 minutes = 1 hour, 15 minutes). This simple timing formula produces a roast leg with a nicely pink center and some nice crusty bits at the ends for those who prefer their meat with less (or no) color. After the timer goes off, remove the lamb from the oven, tent with foil, and allow it to rest for 15 minutes before carving. Serve with roasted potatoes and a green vegetable.
Pairs well with a wide variety of red wines, though I prefer those with a bit of earthiness, such as Pinot Noir, Mourvedre (AKA Monastrell), or most red wines of Northern Italy.