Roast Leg of Lamb With Anchovy, Garlic and Rosemary
- Total Time
- About 2 hours
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 14-pound bone-in leg of lamb
- 4large garlic cloves, peeled and sliced lengthwise into thirds
- 20anchovy fillets in oil, drained
- 1bunch rosemary
- 6tablespoons butter, softened
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1⅔cups white wine
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Salt, as needed
- 1small bunch of watercress, to garnish (optional)
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
1040 calories; 71 grams fat; 33 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 27 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 73 grams protein; 1496 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. With a small, sharp knife, make 12 incisions 2 inches deep into the fleshy side of the leg. Insert a piece of garlic, half an anchovy and a small sprig of rosemary into each incision. Push them in with your little finger.
- Step 2
Cream the butter with the remaining anchovies and smear it all over the meat. Sprinkle the meat generously with black pepper, place in a roasting pan and pour the wine around it. Tuck in any leftover sprigs of rosemary and pour the lemon juice over the meat.
- Step 3
Roast in the oven for 15 minutes; lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and roast for 1 hour more, basting from time to time with the juices. (Cook slightly longer, depending on how well done you like your meat.) Let rest in a warm place for at least 15 minutes before carving.
- Step 4
Meanwhile, taste the juices, adding salt as needed. (It should not need much because of the anchovies.) If the gravy is too thin, simmer it in a skillet to thicken. If you choose, garnish the slices of lamb with sprigs of watercress. Serve with gravy and mashed potatoes or creamed eggplant.
Private Notes
Comments
Currently making this recipe so this question is for future reference: I’m assuming the lamb roasts on a rack in the roasting pan, not standing in the half inch of wine at the bottom of the pan? Also, any suggestion on position of oven rack? Thx!
I can honestly say I will never, ever make my leg of lamb any other way. I couldn't get over how delicious the jus was. I will also remark, the more humble the brand of anchovy, the better for this purpose. I tried it with some organic, special packed white anchovies, and it wasn't anywhere near as good as the plain old anchovies in olive oil. It's much easier to use a blender or food processor to make the paste for the base rub. Excellent, so delicious!
The flavors are delicious! But next time I will not follow the suggestion, made by some commenters, that the butter, anchovies, garlic, rosemary, etc., all be whirred together in a food processor and the resulting paste inserted in the lamb. It is just too darn hard to get that buttery paste down into the slits. The paste sticks to one's fingers, the moist meat seems to reject the oily butter, and the result is a frustrating mess. Next time, I'll try this as written.
Absolutely fantastic. 5 lbs bone-in leg from Whole Foods. Quite a bit of fat, some of which I trimmed. Day before cooking, made slits: garlic, 1/2 anchovy, and rosemary. Overnight uncovered in refrigerator. Brought to room temperature day of roasting: salt and pepper, and light coat of olive oil. No butter. Roasted as directed not on rack. Done in 75 minutes. Spectacular. Served with roast potatoes, the creamed eggplant referenced in recipe, and pan gravy made with red wine and Wondra flour.
My lamb was from a local farm, frozen and a bit lean. I like my lamb on the rare side but the more medium pieces were more tender. The more rare parts were tougher to chew. I took it out at 125 and it was 133 after resting but I’ll let it go another 5 degrees next time. Otherwise the dish was amazing and relatively simple. I’ll definitely cook it again.
Easter dinner was a hit because of this recipe. A few family members said that they weren't really sure if they enjoyed the taste of lamb until they tasted this recipe. They loved it! Thanks NYTCooking for a great recipe and THANKS to everyone who wrote a review - it was the reviews that made the execution of this meal successful.