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One classic winter recipe in my household growing up was leg of lamb. This probably has something to do with my father’s British ancestry and his love of large roasts. That’s why today I wanted to share an amazing leg of lamb recipe. The recipe shared today, however, isn’t just an ordinary recipe. This is a recipe that was served on the Titanic’s fatal voyage.

For this recipe, we changed as little as possible to really let those classic flavors shine. One of the strengths of this dish is in the marinating of the lamb at room temperature, and the browning before sticking it in the oven. You’ll end up with a great crusty outer meat, and an incredibly tender inside that’s practically falling off the bone. It’s also important to save the drippings from the lamb after it’s done cooking and to use those in the mint sauce for the extra flavor. You’ll end up with a first class dish, and depending on how many you’re serving, plenty of leftovers! Keep reading below for this amazing lamb…

Leg of Lamb with Mint Sauce

Ingredients

LAMB

  • 1 leg of lamb (3 1/2 to 4lb)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoons black pepper
  • 1/4 cup wine
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

MINT SAUCE

  • 2 shallots, minced
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
  • fresh mint sprigs

Directions

  1. Trim the lamb of gristle and excess fat. Use a paring knife to poke thin slits 1/2″ deep all over the lamb (about 10 slits). Stir together garlic, 2 tablespoons of oil, thyme, rosemary, mustard, and pepper. Rub over the surface of the meat, pressing the marinate into the small slits. Make sure the entire lamb is properly covered with the marinade, then let marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.
  2. Preheat the oven to 450F. In a large, heavy skillet, heat the remaining oil over high heat. Add the leg and sear, turning often for about 5 minutes or until well browned on every side.
  3. Place the leg in a large roasting pan. Pour the wine and salt into the skillet the lamb was cooked in, scraping up any browned bits. Pour the wine over the meat. Bake the lamb for 15 minutes in the oven, then reduce the heat to 350F, and continue to roast for 25 minutes for a rare roast, or 35 minutes for medium-rare. Remove the roast from the pan and tent with foil. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving.
  4. While the lamb is resting, place the roasting pan the lamb roasted in over medium heat. Stir in the shallots and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in the wine, bring to a boil, and cook. Stir often for 1 minute until the sauce is reduced to a glaze. Stir in the stock, vinegar and sugar.
  5. Boil rapidly for 2 minutes or until the sauce is slightly thickened. Pour through a fine meshed sieve. Stir in the mint. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs and serve along side the lamb.
  6. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted fromLast Dinner On the Titanic: Menus and Recipes from the Great Liner

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