LEG OF LAMB OR MUTTON

Leg of Lamb or Mutton image

Provided by Nancy Harmon Jenkins

Time 2h

Yield 8 to 10 servings of lamb; 12 to 14 servings of mutton

Number Of Ingredients 8

Ingredients

1 4- to 5-pound leg of lamb bone in (mutton may be used; see note)
2 cups port
1 cup Madeira
4 tablespoons dried rosemary
4 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon star anise, crushed
1 cup glace de veau or reduced rich veal stock
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste (optional)

Steps:

Put lamb or mutton leg in a large bowl or roasting pan. Mix together port, Madeira, rosemary, garlic and star anise and pour over lamb. Marinate 12 hours or overnight in refrigerator.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Remove leg from marinade, reserving marinade, and put on a rack in a roasting pan. Put in the hot oven for 15 minutes; then reduce temperature to 350 degrees and continue cooking. Lamb should reach an internal temperature of 135 degrees; mutton, 140 degrees (lamb should take 1 1/2 hours; mutton will take longer). When meat is done, remove from oven and set aside to rest for 15 to 30 minutes before carving.
Strain marinade through a fine sieve. Remove star anise and garlic and return to marinade, discarding rosemary bits, as they will turn bitter during reduction. Bring marinade to a simmer, add glace de veau and cook slowly until liquid is reduced by half. Add salt and pepper if desired.
Carve the meat and serve with the port-Madeira sauce.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 299, UnsaturatedFat 0 grams, Carbohydrate 6 grams, Fat 15 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 23 grams, SaturatedFat 6 grams, Sodium 347 milligrams, Sugar 3 grams