ROAST LEG OF LAMB WITH PIQUANT CAPER SAUCE Recipe

How to make it

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• Note:
• Whole legs of lamb generally weigh 7 to 7 1/2 pounds, untrimmed, but they may weigh as little as 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 pounds or as much as 10 pounds. If you are roasting a leg weighing between 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 pounds, decrease the 20 minute cooking intervals at 325 degrees to 15 minutes each and check the temperature after 45 minutes. If you have a leg weighing 8 1/2 pounds or over, increase the cooking intervals at 325 degrees to 25 minutes each and check the temperature after 1 1/4 hours. Also, adjust the seasonings slightly if you're cooking smaller or larger legs. If the butcher prepares your lamb, bring seasonings so they may sprinkle some over the exposed inner portions of the meat before tying the roast securely. Roast the leg on a large cake rack or a mesh roasting rack rather than the perforated broiler tray that comes with some pans because they become too hot, causing the lamb to cook unevenly.
• 1. For the lamb: Mix 2 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons pepper, and rosemary in a small bowl.
• 2. Follow steps below to clean and bone lamb, sprinkling portion of seasoning over inner surface. Follow steps, also below, to tie lamb.
• 3. Cut slits into roast with point of paring knife; poke garlic slivers inside. Rub remaining seasoning onto all surfaces of meat, then coat with olive oil. Place leg top side up on roasting pan fitted with wire or mesh roasting rack; let stand for 30 minutes.
• 4. For the sauce: In large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat until it is hot but not smoking. Add reserved bones and meat scraps, and onion; sauté, turning bones several times, until well browned, about 10 minutes. Add broth, scraping pan bottom to loosen browned bits; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer, partially covered, until bones and meat have given up their flavor to broth, about 1 hour, adding a little water if bones are more than half exposed during cooking.
• 5. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Roast lamb for 10 minutes. Grasp shank bone with paper towels; flip leg over, and roast 10 minutes longer. Lower oven temperature to 325 degrees. Again, turn leg top side up and continue rosting, turning leg every 20 minutes until instant-read thermometer, when inserted in several locations, registers 130 to 135 degrees, 60 to 80 minutes longer. Transfer roast to another pan; cover with foil and set aside in a warm spot to complete cooking and allow juices to reabsorb into the tissues, about 15 to 20 minutes.
• 6. Set roasting pan over medium heat; add wine and scrape with a wooden spoon until brown bits dissolve. Pour mixture into lamb stock, then strain everything into a 2-cup glass measure. Let sit until fat rises, then skim. Add water, if necessary, to make 1 1/2 cups of liquid. Return to saucepan; bring to boil. Mix butter and flour to a smooth paste; gradually whisk into stock. Stir in capers, vinegar and accumulated juices; simmer to blend flavors, about 3 minutes. Add more vinegar or caper bottling liquid to achieve a piquant, subtly sharp-sweet sauce.
• 7. Remove string from roast and carve following illustrations below. Transfer sliced lamb to a warm serving platter with caper sauce passed separately.
• Note: Tying the Lamb Roast:
• 1. Set the leg top side up and smooth the flap of meat at the sirloin end so that it folds over and neatly covers the tip of the thigh bone. Using a sixteen-inch length of twine, tie a loop diagonally around the top of the leg. Bring the ends of the twine around and tie a second diagonal loop perpendicular to the first. Repeat the process, producing a "double-x" effect.
• 2. Beginning at the narrow top end of the leg, tie loops of twine across the leg at one-inch intervals.
• 3. Continue tying loops all the way down the leg.
• 4 When you are finished tying the leg, it should resemble a giant turkey drumstick.