Roast Leg of Lamb

Ingredients

• 1 whole leg of lamb (about 9 to 10 pounds)
• 3 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 6 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 4 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 teaspoons cayenne
• 1 3/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup Creole or whole-grain mustard
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups dried fine bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons Emeril's Original Essence
• 8 medium red potatoes, halved
• 3 large carrots, cut into 3-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
• 4 medium onions, quartered
• 4 celery ribs, cut into 3-inch pieces (about 2 cups)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
 
Line the bottom of a roasting pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil and fit it with a rack.
 
With the butt end of the roast facing you, make about a dozen slits in the fleshy part of the meat with a sharp knife. In a bowl, mix together the garlic, 3 tablespoons of the rosemary, 1 teaspoon of the salt, 1/4 teaspoon of the cayenne, 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper, and 3 tablespoons of the mustard to make a paste. Using your fingers, insert equal amounts of the paste into the holes. Tie the leg crosswise with the kitchen twine, at 3-inch intervals. Season the outside of the lamb with 1 teaspoon of the salt, 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cayenne.
 
Heat 3 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a pan large enough to accommodate the lamb over high heat. Sear the lamb for about 3 minutes on all sides. Remove the lamb from the skillet and set aside. Combine the bread crumbs, the remaining 3 tablespoons rosemary, the rub, and 1/4 cup of the oil in a bowl. Rub the top and sides of the lamb with the remaining 1/4 cup mustard. Using your fingers, press the bread crumb mixture evenly and firmly onto the mustard-covered area. Place the lamb on the rack in the roasting pan and roast for 1 hour.
 
Toss the potatoes, carrots, onions, and celery with the remaining 2 teaspoons salt, remaining 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 tablespoon oil. Remove the pan from the oven and place the vegetables on the rack around the lamb. Return the pan to the oven and roast for about 1 hour 45 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the lamb registers 160ºF. on a meat thermometer for well done. If you prefer the lamb to be rare, roast for about 1 hour, or until a meat thermometer registers 140º to 145ºF. Remove the roast and let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving.
 
Serve with the vegetables.
 
Yield: 10 to 12 servings

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
�?BR>Using your hands, rub the lamb all over with the lemon juice. Pat the garlic and rosemary evenly all over the surface of the meat. Season the meat with the salt and pepper and place the lamb in a roasting pan. Place the lamb in the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue to cook for about 1 hour longer for medium-rare, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the roast registers about 145 degrees F to 150 degrees F (be careful that the thermometer does not touch the bone.) Remove lamb from pan and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.
�?BR>Position the roasting pan over your stove burners. Add mixed herbs and onions to pan, and stir to combine with pan drippings. Add chicken stock and wine to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to release any fond. Reduce over high heat until sauce consistency. Strain before serving, if desired. Slice lamb and serve with sauce drizzled over the top.
�?BR>Yield: 6 to 8 servings