Rosemary Roasted Lamb

I suppose lamb is a bit of an acquired taste, although in many parts of the world it makes a very common meal. I made this lamb as a Sunday roast. I did not marinate it prior to putting it in the oven but if you wish to add more flavour, a simple marinade of rosemary, olive oil, garlic, pepper, and lemon juice for a couple of hours would do. One can also make tiny slices into the surface of the roast and insert slivers of garlic and herbs.

Ingredients:

- 1 (6-pound) leg of lamb, bone-in or boneless. If boneless, the leg should be tied up with kitchen string by a/your butcher.
- 1 tablespoon of dried rosemary
- coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat your oven to 425°F. Remove the lamb from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before putting in the oven to help bring it close to room temperature before roasting. Generously salt and pepper all sides of the roast. Arrange it with the fattiest side up, so while the lamb is cooking the fat will melt into the meat. Place the roasting pan on the middle rack of the oven. Roast at 425°F for 20 minutes then reduce the heat to 300°F and roast an additional hour (for a 6 pound roast), or about 10-12 minutes per pound. If you are cooking a roast bone-in, the bone will act as an insulator and will require a longer cooking time than a boneless roast.

Remove it from the oven when a meat thermometer reaches a temperature anywhere from 130°F to 135°F for medium rare. Lamb should never be cooked until well done or it will be too dry. Let the roast stand for 15-20 minutes before carving it. Cut away the kitchen string and slice with a sharp carving knife, 1/2 inch thick slices, against the grain of the meat. Lamb is traditionally serve with a mint sauce. I suspect that at a fancy restaurant, this sauce would be called a "gastrique" of some sort.

Ingredients for Mint Sauce:

- 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves
- 1 cup malt vinegar
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- a small bottle for storage

Rinse young, healthy mint leaves and chop them into fine pieces or process in a blender. Bring the vinegar to a simmer in a small saucepan, then add the sugar and chopped leaves. Simmer the sauce for about 20 minutes to infuse well.