My family loves garlic— so use less if you’re not a big fan. Available now in most markets are partially boned half-legs, making carving a cinch. This year, my dinner partners will be 6, so I chose that cut, and the good news is that a half-leg roasts in under an hour. (A bone-in whole leg will feed 8-10.) I usually prepare the meat for roasting the night before, allowing the rosemary and garlic to permeate the lamb in the refrigerator overnight. In any event, remove lamb from refrigerator an hour or 2 before roasting.
one 3 1/2 pound shank half of a leg of lamb
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary (or half that, if using dried)
2-3 cloves garlic, sliced lengthwise into slivers
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper
1 large portobello mushroom, sliced into half-inch cubes
1/3 cup red wine
chicken stock to extend juice (optional)
Preheat oven to 450. Slice off and discard as much fat as possible. Remove papery “fell” membrane. With the grain of the meat, cut slits a half-inch deep over the top surface, spaced about a half-inch apart. Insert garlic slivers and rosemary leaves into the cuts. Rub surface with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Reduce oven temperature to 325 as you put in the roast. Count on 10-12 minutes a pound for medium rare lamb, or an internal temperature of 125-130. (A whole leg, bone-in, will take 12-15 minutes per pound.)
Add the potatoes and shallots (below) 10 minutes after the roast has begun. The carrots will cook quicker, so add them after the first half-hour. These vegetables will sumptuously flavor the juices, although the roasting may take longer. Let the interior temperature of the meat be your guide. Baste as needed. Add the portobello and the wine 10 minutes before removing the roast and vegetables from the oven.
Remove roast to a warmed serving platter and let it “rest” for 15 minutes before slicing. Leave portobellos in the pan and place it over a warm burner and scrape down caramelized bits of the vegetables and lamb juices. Extend with chicken stock if need be and serve separately. Present roast and vegetables on one large platter if you desire a dramatic effect.
