Roast leg of lamb turns any family dinner into a special occasion. In this recipe, thin slices of garlic infuse the lamb with a rich aroma and taste, while red wine and chicken stock keep the lamb tender and juicy as it roasts. You can expect to receive high praise from around the table.
If you're making the roast for just a few people, you're in luck: Leftovers are just as delicious the next day, if not more so. Sliced thinly and stacked on wholemeal bread with a dab of mustard, cold lamb makes a mouthwatering sandwich.​
Roast leg of lamb
6
10 minutes
2 hours 30 minutes
2 hours 40 minutes
5½-pound leg of lamb
4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, peeled and halved
4 cloves
2 carrots, quartered
1 cup red wine
4 cups chicken stock
4 sprigs rosemary
Heat the oven to 375 F.
Sprinkle the lamb with salt.
Using a small paring knife, make 20 small incisions all over the meat. Insert a slice of garlic into each slit.
Heat oil in a large, flame-safe roasting pan over high heat. Sear the lamb on all sides, and set aside.
Reduce the heat to medium. Stud the onion with the cloves, and add the onion, carrots and any remaining garlic slices to the pan.
Brown the vegetables on all sides, and deglaze the pan with the red wine. Add the stock.
Bring to a simmer, and add the rosemary and lamb.
Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 1 hour 45 minutes, turning the lamb halfway through the cooking process.
Remove from the oven, tent with foil, and let rest 30 minutes before slicing and serving.