Ina's Easy Herb Roasted Lamb

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I rarely check the comments on an Ina Garten recipe. I'm so used to them being perfect that I've never seen the need. I did, however, have a concern when I read through the instructions for this one and saw the temperature at which this roast was to be cooked. Fortunately, I decided to scan the comments, and in doing so saved myself a very expensive mistake. Now, it may be a difference in the way professional and home oven cook, but if you follow Ina's recipe to a tee, you'll have a well-done mess on your hands and your kitchen smoke alarms will get a work-out they may or may not need. I've always been taught that lamb needs to be cooked at a low temperature. I'm still of that opinion, though I do sear my lamb at a high temperature for a short period of time. A quick read of the comments lead me to make some alterations to Ina's recipe. I decided to season the roast the day before I baked it, and save for that brief sear, I cut the oven temperature from 450 to 325 degrees. While I let the roast sit for a full day once it was seasoned, this is about as effortless as a company meal can get if you keep wait time in mind. I urge those of you who enjoy lamb to give this recipe a try. The version which appears below contains the changes I made to the original recipe. Ina's recipe can be found here.

Herb-Roasted Lamb ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Ina Garten

Ingredients:
12 large unpeeled garlic cloves, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 (6-pound) boneless leg of lamb, trimmed and tied
4 to 5 pounds small unpeeled potatoes (16 to 20 potatoes)
2 tablespoons good olive oil

Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place oven rack in the lower third of oven.
2) Peel 6 of the cloves of garlic and place them in bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add rosemary, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and butter. Process until garlic and rosemary are finely minced. Thoroughly coat top and sides of the lamb with the rosemary mixture. Place, uncovered in refrigerator and let sit for eight hours or overnight. When ready to proceed, let meat sit at room temperature for one hour.
3) Toss potatoes and remaining unpeeled garlic in a bowl with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place in bottom of a large roasting pan. Place lamb on top of the potatoes and roast for 15 minutes at 450 degrees, Reduce heat to 325 and continue roasting for 1 to 1-1/2 hours, or until internal temperature of the lamb is 135 degrees (rare) or 145 degrees (medium). Remove from oven and put lamb on a platter. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Allow lamb to rest for about 20 minutes. Slice and serve with the potatoes.
Yield: 10 to 12 servings.

                    

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