Leg of Lamb a la Julia Child

Leg of Lamb a la Julia Child

2 1/4 pound leg of lamb, butterflied

Marinade (from Julia Child, The Way to Cook):
2 large cloves of garlic
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBS dijon mustard
1 TBSP soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp thyme
2 TBSP lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil

Puree garlic into a small bowl and mash to a paste with the salt. Whisk in the mustard, soy, herbs (one may also use rosemary or oregano, or a mixture of all three), lemon juice. Add the oil slowly, still whisking, to make a mayonnaise-like cream.

In a dish large enough to accomodate the leg of lamb, coat with the marinade. Let sit at least 8 hours, overnight if possible.

Preheat oven to 325. Roast lamb in a roasting pan until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees (approximately 45 minutes -- as determined from Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home, it should be about 24 minutes per pound). Let rest under foil tent for 15-20 minutes and serve.

Served with Campus Oaks Pinot Noir 2001 and herbed french loaf from my brand new bread machine!

Notes: I've never cooked leg of lamb before. Now that I've tried it, I can see there will be no turning back. Resist the urge to cook this more quickly and at a higher temperature as that will make the meat tougher. This was a lovely medium rare, pink and tender. Very tasty (I ended up having it in the marinade for a day and a half), and I kept eating until I was thinking I could eat no more. Luckily, there are leftovers that I will probably use in a version of Mediterranean tacos, so the deliciousness will continue.