Roast Lamb with Garlic and Rosemary

Mother Mary had a little child and Christmas came upon us. Come holidays of feasting to celebrate the ‘Reason for the Season’ we cannot miss on our little lamb to grace the once in a year event.

And better if our Christmas recipe of a lamb comes in a tried and tested Garlic Roast.

For a fellowship of six, what will gratify is one shank half leg or about 3 pounds of lamb.

Ingredients: 1/8 teaspoon of salt1/8 of pepper; 10 cloves garlic, sliced in half lengthwise; 4 large sweet potatoes or white potatoes peeled and wedged about 1 inch; 5 parsnips or turnips cubed into 1 inch pieces; 2 teaspoons canola or olive oil; lemon slices; and, 2 large sprigs of fresh rosemary or 2 teaspoons of dried rosemary.

It is best though if you can purchase fresh rosemary because it renders superior flavor to the lamb compared to the dried variety. Find your fresh rosemary in many supermarkets or organic markets in the neighborhood. It should take you 20 minutes to prepare all the ingredients.

While you are preheating your oven to 325°F, trim all the fat and any cartilage from the lamb using a sharp knife. Rub the skin of lamb with salt and pepper.

Then with a sharp small knife, make several slits about 1 inch deep all over the leg of lamb. Insert a garlic half or a few rosemary leaves into each of the pocket slits. Use all the rosemary but spare some garlic for later use.

Combine sweet potatoes, parsnips and the remaining garlic in a large roasting pan. Add the canola oil to coat well. Push the vegetables to the side of the roasting pan and place the shank of lamb in the center.

Before roasting, add a zest flavor to the lamb by covering it with lemon slices. Roast the lamb and vegetables approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Turn the sweet potatoes and parsnips occasionally so that they cook evenly.

It is recommended that you insert a thermometer at the center of the meat and as soon as it reads 160°F (or equivalent to medium setting in your oven) your lamb comes to a perfect roast.

Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the roast lamb to a carving platter and cover with foil. Allow the roast rest for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, using a slotted ladle, transfer the roasted vegetables to a serving dish and keep them warm.

You are now ready to serve this knockout Christmas recipe. Slice the roast lamb and serve with the roasted vegetables.