Classic Roast Leg of Lamb

Ingredients

• 1 (about 2.2 kg) leg of lamb, bone-in
• 4 cloves garlic, cut into thin slivers
• 6 sprigs rosemary, broken into small pieces for larding
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• For the natural jus
• 150 ml dry white wine or lamb broth, for deglazing
• For the persillade (optional)
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 60 g dry breadcrumbs
• 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Method

1. 1
   Remove the leg of lamb from the refrigerator at least 45 minutes before roasting. Using a small sharp knife, cut incisions at regular intervals across the entire surface of the leg — both faces and around the shank. Insert a sliver of garlic and a small piece of rosemary into each incision, pressing them flush with the meat. Rub the leg all over with olive oil, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. The larding is complete when every incision is filled and no garlic or rosemary protrudes above the surface.
2. 2
   Heat the oven to 200°C. Set the leg fat-side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast at 200°C for 20 minutes. The surface is ready to proceed when it has taken on a deep golden-brown crust and the fat has begun to render visibly into the pan.
3. 3
   Reduce the oven to 180°C. Continue roasting until a probe thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the leg — away from the bone — reads 58–60°C for medium-rare, the European standard. This is where the dish lives or dies: above 68°C the texture and flavour of the lamb deteriorate irreversibly; the bone-end will register slightly higher than the thick end, which is expected and correct.
4. 4
   If finishing with the persillade: when the internal temperature is approximately 10°C below the target, remove the leg from the oven. Brush the upper surface evenly with Dijon mustard. Combine the breadcrumbs, chopped parsley, chopped garlic, and olive oil into a cohesive mixture and press it firmly onto the mustard in an even layer. Return the leg to the oven for a final 15 minutes. The crust is done when it is uniformly golden and crisp to the eye.
5. 5
   Transfer the leg to a board and rest it, uncovered, for at least 15 minutes. Meanwhile, pour off excess fat from the roasting pan, set it over a medium flame, and deglaze with the white wine or broth, scraping up all the caramelised aromatics. Strain the jus through a fine sieve into a warm jug. The jus is ready when it has reduced slightly and the fat has been skimmed from the surface.