Roast Leg of Lamb - French Cooking at Home

Ingredients

• 1 leg of lamb
• 1 garlic clove, sliced and cut into narrow slivers (1 large clove, more if cloves are small)
• 1/2 lemon, juice of
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons black pepper, coarse ground
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup herbes de provence, dried (See note at end of directions)
• 4-6 potatoes, sliced about 1 inch thick
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup beef stock

Directions

1. 1

   Pre-heat oven to 500°F.

2. 2

   Use an oven pan while you are preparing the joint (you will remove the joint from the pan when you place it in the oven).

3. 3

   Pierce leg all over and insert slivers of garlic.

4. 4

   Mix lemon juice, salt and pepper, and olive oil and wipe all over the joint (use your hands).

5. 5

   Pat the herbs all over the joint forming a 'crust'.

6. 6

   Lay potato slices in another oven pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil.

7. 7

   Toss around (again, using your hands is easier) to ensure the slices are well coated, and pour over the beef stock.

8. 8

   Place uncovered joint directly onto the oven shelf/grid, with the oven pan of potates below, i.e. allowing lamb juices to drip down into the potatoes.

9. 9

   Roast for 20 minutes, then reduce oven heat to 325°F.

10. 10

    Total roasting time will depend on the size of the joint as follows:.

11. 11

    Medium-rare : 20-25 minutes per pound plus an additional 20 minutes;.

12. 12

    Well-done : 25-30 minutes per pound plus an additional 25 minutes.

13. 13

    Notes re Herbs de Provence - a mixture of dried herbs - there is a recipe here on Zaar (Recipe #18565); although many make their own blends, leaving out the lavendar and/or adding marjoram, for example.