6 or 7 pound leg of lamb (ask the butcher to retain the “fell” the thin parchment-like covering around the leg which will encase the meat in a fine crisp crust)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and cut into ½ inch slivers
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons “crystal” salt -gross sel (There are so many wonderful sea salts now available)
2 large onions thinly slivered
2 large carrots thinly sliced
4 stalks celery cut into 1-inch pieces
1½ cups stock: canned beef and chicken bouillon in equal proportions
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
Remove the meat from the refrigerator about 2 hours before you plan to roast it.
Preheat the oven to 500°F. With the point of a small knife make 6 or 8 short incisions along the length of the leg and insert into each a sliver of garlic. Brush the meat thoroughly with the vegetable oil and pat it with crystal salt. Place the leg, fat side up, on a rack set in a shallow roasting pan just about large enough to hold the meat comfortably. Roast, uncovered and undisturbed for 20 minutes in the center of the oven. Then turn the heat down to 375°F, scatter the cut-up onions, carrots, and celery around the meat and continue to roast without basting (and still uncovered of course) for about 50-55 minutes longer.
At its best, a roast leg of lamb should be served medium-rare. Let the meat rest on a heated platter for 15 minuets.
Meanwhile make the sauce. Add to the roasting pan the 1½ cups of stock and bring it to a boil on top of the stove. Let it boil briskly for about 3-4 minutes and scrape into the juices all the brown sediment clinging to the bottom and sides of the pan. Boil down until it reaches the intensity of flavor you prefer. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve set into a small saucepan, pressing down hard on the vegetables with a spoon to extract all their juices. Skim the sauce of most of its surface fat, add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, and stir in the lemon juice. Reheat the sauce before serving.
-- Recipe courtesy of Nancy Ellison