Garlic Rosemary Leg of Lamb

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Ingredients

  • 1 4 ½ lb boneless leg of lamb, trimmed and tied
  • 8 -16 garlic cloves thinly sliced. (Reserve some for potatoes.)
  • 6 whole heads of garlic tops cut off
  • 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary plus a few whole sprigs
  • 4-6 Tbsp. oil
  • 4 ½ pounds small red potatoes un-peeled
  • Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place the oven rack so the lamb will sit in the middle of the oven.
  2. With a sharp knife cut slits all over the lamb (top and bottom). Insert the slivers of garlic.
  3. Brush the lamb with the oil and season with rosemary, salt and pepper. Allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
  4. Toss the potatoes and remaining garlic in a bowl with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
  5. Place potatoes in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Nestle the heads of garlic and rosemary sprigs and amongst the potatoes.
  6. Place the lamb on top of the potatoes and roast for about 2 hours, basting often with the pan juices. The lamb is done when it is so tender that a fork just slides through it like softened butter.
  7. Remove from the oven and put the lamb on a platter; cover tightly with aluminum foil. Allow the lamb to rest for about 20 minutes.
  8. Slice with the potatoes, giving each person a slice of lamb and a whole head of garlic, moistened with some of the pan juices. To eat the garlic, squeeze the cloves with the flat of a knife and the softened flesh will ooze out. Either smear onto the lamp or scoop up with good crusty bread.