Recipe by Tucker Shaw. Serves 8 with leftovers.
Ingredients
1 leg of lamb, purchased from the best butcher in your area, trimmed and ready for roasting, about 7 pounds
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more if needed
10 garlic cloves, smashed
10 sprigs fresh rosemary and/or thyme
10 anchovy fillets (optional)
2 tablespoons coarse salt
Directions
Place lamb in refrigerator, uncovered, overnight. Two hours before cooking, remove it from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature. Place on rack in roasting pan, fattiest side up.
Place oven rack in lower third of oven. Preheat to 450 degrees. Using a sharp paring knife, create 20 small slits in the top and sides of the leg, about 1-inch deep. Rub olive oil all over leg, then insert garlic cloves, herbs and anchovies, if using, into slits. Sprinkle salt over all, massaging into the meat.
Place lamb leg in oven. Cook for 25 minutes at 450, then reduce heat to 300 and continue to cook for another 90 minutes or more, until internal temperature reaches 130 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Remove leg, place on cutting board, and tent loosely with foil. Allow to rest 30 minutes before carving into thin slices and serving. Serve with salsa verde, aioli or fruit mustard (recipes at denverpost.com/food).
