Roasted Leg
of Lamb with Vegetables
1 (8 to
10-pound) leg of lamb, boned*, reserving bones
Kosher salt
8 sprigs
rosemary, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
6 cloves
garlic, thinly sliced
Extra-virgin
olive oil
For the veggies:
1 red pepper-
Cut the red peppers in half, remove the stem and seeds
4 carrots,
cut on the diagonal
1 lemon, cut
in 1/2
12 baby
artichokes
2 bulbs
fennel, cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 pounds red
bliss potatoes, about 20, cut into quarters
10 whole
garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon
crushed red pepper
Extra-virgin
olive oil
Kosher salt
1 Beef Stock
1 bundle
thyme, about 10 sprigs tied together with string
5 bay leaves
Directions
*Note: You might not feel comfortable buying a
big piece of meat and then boning it out yourself. That's ok. Have your butcher
do it, but keep the bone. You paid for it. Have the butcher separate the bones
at the joints.
Preheat the
oven to 425 degrees F.
Cut the lamb
into 2 equal halves and butterfly each half. Remove any huge gobs of fat. Don't
try to get it all. Fat tastes good and adds lots of moisture. Sprinkle each
piece of the meat generously with salt, chopped rosemary, and sliced garlic.
Drizzle the meat with olive oil. Massage the salt, rosemary, garlic and oil
into the lamb. Be sure to try and get the cracks and crevices filled with the
yummy tasting stuff. Roll each piece of lamb and tie with butcher twine.
Sprinkle generously with salt. Reserve while you prepare the veggies.
For the vegetables:
Fill a bowl
with water and squeeze the lemon into the water and add the lemon halves as
well. Remove the tough outer leaves of the artichokes; stop when you get to the
healthy, fresh light green looking leaves. Trim off any dark green or brown on
the stem as well. Cut the in half and add to bowl of lemon water.
Remove the
artichokes from the water and add with the fennel, potatoes, carrot , red
pepper ,garlic and crushed red pepper to
a large roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt.
Add the beef stock thyme and bay leaves.
Nestle the
lamb bones in the veggie mixture and place the 2 lamb roasts on the bones.
Drizzle with
olive oil and place in the preheated oven. Roast the lamb for about 20 minutes,
or until brown. Baste with juices and turn the lamb over and brown on the other
side for about 20 minutes. Turn the lamb back over and baste again with the
juices. Rearrange the veggies if they begin to burn. Reduce the heat to 350
degrees F and roast for another 60 minutes. Baste the lamb occasionally during
the cooking process and add water to the pan if the liquid reduces too much.
Remove the
lamb from the oven and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
Carve the
lamb as desired and serve with the veggies and pan juices.
Enjoy & Thanks for stopping by!
