It's official, I've decided the best entree to serve at a dinner party is a roast. Be it chicken, pork, beef or lamb. Prep it and pop it in the oven before cocktail hour, it'll be tender and glistening, ready for the table in about an hour and a half. Plus, I love not having to stand over flames or risk pan spatters. You can be part of the party and also serve an impressive entree.
I was brainstorming what to serve as a main for a wine dinner we hosted last Saturday. It needed to stand up to a big Cabernet and Bordeaux. Candidates were Beef Tenderloin and Leg of Lamb. Since I was feeling daring, I decided to attempt roasting a whole Leg of Lamb for the first time, using Ruth Reichl's recipe from her book Garlic and Sapphires.
It was, as roasts should be, simple and delicious. Use it for a cozy winter feast or for your Easter/Passover table.
Roast Leg of Lamb with Garlic and Rosemary
adapted from Ruth Reichl
Serves 8-10
1 6-8 lbs. bone-in leg of lamb
4 cloves garlic, peeled and cut into 6 slivers each
1 bunch rosemary
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and Pepper
Remove the lamb from the refrigerator 1 hour before starting.
Preheat the over to 350 degrees F.
Make 8 small slits in the lamb on each side, and place a sliver of garlic and a leaf or two of rosemary in each slit. Massage the olive oil into the meat and season with salt and pepper.
Place remaining garlic and rosemary sprigs in the bottom of your roasting pan, top with rack and then the leg of lamb. Cook uncovered for about 1 1/2 hours or until an instant-read thermometer inserted away from the bone registers 125 degrees (for medium rare). Remove the lamb from the over and let rest 20 minutes before carving.
Tips for carving: We found it best to cut the meat away from the bone lengthwise in two large and long portions. Then to slice the meat crosswise, leaving all pieces with pink in the middle.
1 comment:
Good idea for using the abundant rosemary in the herb garden.
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