Leg of Lamb with Garlic Rub

A leg of lamb refers to the whole hind leg of a young sheep that is less than one year old. In general, the darker the colour, the older the animal. Baby lamb meat will be pale pink, while regular lamb is pinkish-red. For this recipe it can be either bone-in or boneless (with the bones removed).

Ingredients

• garlic separated but not peeled  ·  1 clove 
• 7-pound bone-in leg of lamb  ·  1 piece 
• Bordeaux style red wine (preferably Williamson Merlot)  ·  1 cup 
• leeks, white part only, split in half  ·  12 whole 
• Herbie's Thyme Leaves  ·  1 tablespoon 
• Herbie's Oregano  ·  1 tablespoon 
• cracked black pepper  ·  2 tablespoons 
• kosher salt  ·  2 tablespoons 
• extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling  ·  3 tablespoons 

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°.

Place the garlic with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a small baking dish, cover with foil and bake for 1 hour, until the garlic is golden. Let cool slightly then squeeze the cloves out of the skins.

Transfer the garlic to a mini food processor. Add the salt, pepper, oregano, thyme and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil; process to a paste.

Arrange the leeks in the bottom of a large roasting pan, cut sides up, and drizzle with olive oil and the wine. Rub 1 tablespoon of the garlic paste on the underside of the lamb and lay it on the leeks. Spread the remaining garlic paste over the lamb and roast for 30 minutes.

Lower the oven temperature to 350° and roast the lamb for about 1 hour and 10 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 130° to 135° for medium-rare.

Transfer to a carving board and let rest for 20 minutes.

Turn the leeks and roast them for about 5 minutes longer, until the liquid in the roasting pan is nearly evaporated.

Carve the lamb, transfer to a platter and serve with the leeks and Williamson Merlot.