Lamb roasted with garlic...and anchovies?

P

pam

Well-known member
A friend sent me a recipe for roasting a leg of lamb, inserting slivers of garlic (nothing surprising there) but additionally three anchovies, slivered and stuffed in the same slit as the garlic. The recipe called for putting the lamb in a roasting pan with a cup of water (why?) putting evoo on potatoes and adding them to the pan. Cooking at 450 for 20 minutes, then adding zucchini, reducing temp to 350 and cooking for 1-11/2 hrs til 135*

Why not roast the potatoes w/o the water? Wouldn't the evoo come off in the water? Will the lamb be overdone at 135* with continuing cooking during the resting period?

Opinions?

 
The anchovies add extra meaty flavor, and salt. And the directs you to put all in a 450

a little water is added. This 450º oven will cause any fat dropping from the leg of lamb *in a dry pan* to at least smoke like crazy. The water cuts down on this burning/smoking until juices from the pan and zuchinni can come to the rescue and provide enough moisture to keep the smoke at bay. You could try roasting without water, but if your oven temp is accurate, there will be smoke (believe me I know about smoke. . . and smoke alarms going off!--been dere, done dat).

If you pull the lamb at 135º and let it rest (covered) it will continue to cook and rise to 140-145º, so it will not be overdone--unless you like really red, rare lamb.

 
I see no reason for the water--just put the potatoes in the pan to roast in the lamb drippings. YUM.

Agree with the less time--or better, use an instant read thermometer.
This was my parents' best and favorite meal--and mine!!

 
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