Leg of Lamb
Ingredients
- 1 head garlic
- 1 leg of lamb, 5-7 pounds
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon garlic, finely minced
- extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup white wine
Instructions
Prepare lamb
- Separate the head of garlic into cloved, peel the cloves, and slice cloves into slices and ⅛ inch thick.
- Using a sharp paring knife or similar, cut small slits in the lamb. As you make each slit, leave the knife in the slit and press in a sliver of garlic.
- Continue making and filling slits every 1 ½ inches or so over than entire leg of lamb.
- Crush coriander seeds in mortar and pestle or by placing in plastic bag and pounding gently with rolling pin, rubber mallet, or similar.
- Combine salt, black pepper, crushed coriander seeds, and minced garlic.
- Mix in a drizzle of olive oil, mixing and slowly adding oil until mixture just holds together.
- Rub mixture over entire leg of lamb.
- Let lamb sit at least an hour before roasting. If the lamb is going to sit more than an hour, refrigerate it.
Roast lamb
- Preheat oven to 425° F.
- Place lamb in roasting pan or on baking sheet, resting on a rack.
- Roast lamb for 30 minute, then turn heat down to 350°.
- When you turn heat down, drizzle some of the wine over the lamb, then baste occasionally, adding wine if the pan dries out.
- After 1 hour, check internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer. Check temperature every 10 minutes, until temperature reaches 130° for medium rare (125° for very rare). Total cooking time should be between 1 ½ and 1 ¾ hours.
- Let roast rest a few minutes before serving.
- Serve with Peggy and Jon’s Horseradish Sauce.
Notes
Adapted from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman.