See Also: Cooking Club · Meat Dishes
Leg of Lamb with Tzatziki Sauce
From Dorothy McNett's recipes at www.dorothymcnett.com. I favor using a boneless leg, weighing 4-5 pounds for easier carving, but a bone-in roast is also wonderful and the bone does add to the flavor. You can also get half of a boneless leg of lamb which will be about 2 - 2 1/2 pounds.
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons snipped fresh oregano, or 2 teaspoons dried
2-3 sprigs fresh parsley, snipped
4 pound boneless leg of lamb (or a 2 pound half leg)
1/4 cup olive oil
freshly ground pepper
sprinkles of salt
1 cup red wine, or vegetable broth, or water for deglazing
Tzatziki Sauce for serving (see recipe)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In small bowl combine chopped garlic, minced oregano and parsley to make a "paste". With the tip of a sharp pointed knife, make slits in the lamb and using the handle of a spoon, widen the slits to make holes. Pack the herb mixture into each hole. Pour the oil into roasting pan. Do not use a rack. Roll the lamb in the oil to evenly coat it, sprinkling with pepper and salt. Roast for 15 minutes at 400 degrees, and then reduce to 375 degrees and roast for 45 - 50 minutes or more, (if using a half leg, roast for about 30-40 minutes) until instant thermometer registers 140 degrees for rare, 160 degrees (medium, still a little pink) or 175 degrees for well-done. Remove meat to cutting board. Place pan on burner and add the wine or broth or water. Bring to a boil, scraping and stirring with a silicone spatula, bringing up any of the browned bits clinging to the pan, using the figure 8 pattern for stirring. Cook and stir until the liquids have reduced by at least half and you have a nice drizzling sauce, adding any liquids that may have released onto the cutting board around the lamb. Carve and serve with the sauce drizzled over along with Tzatziki Sauce in a bowl.
Recipe created 2013-04-09.
