Ingredients:

  • 1 (5-6 pound/2.2-2.7 kg) leg of lamb, bone-in or boneless
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) dry red wine (optional)
  • 1 large onion, quartered
  • 2 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup (240 ml) chicken or vegetable broth

Instructions:

  1. Trim excess fat from the leg of lamb. Score the surface of the lamb in a crosshatch pattern (about 1 inch/2.5 cm apart).
  2. In a small bowl, combine the minced garlic, chopped rosemary, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well to form a paste.
  3. Rub the garlic-rosemary paste all over the leg of lamb, ensuring it gets into the scores. If using, pour the red wine over the lamb. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 2 hours.
  4. Place the quartered onion, chopped carrots, and chopped celery stalks in the bottom of the roasting pan.
  5. Place the lamb on the rack in the roasting pan, on top of the vegetables.
  6. Pour the chicken or vegetable broth into the bottom of the roasting pan.
  7. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Roast the lamb for 15 minutes to sear the outside.
  8. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C).
  9. Continue roasting the lamb, basting with pan juices every 30 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches your desired doneness.
  10. Remove the lamb from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board. Cover loosely with foil and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before carving.
  11. Carve the lamb against the grain into thin slices. Serve with the roasted vegetables and pan juices (or make a gravy).