Text Only More from the Sydney Morning Herald. Simplicity itself, this French-derived recipe preserves all the tenderness of baby lamb and it gives it the intense flavour it tends to lack. The lamb can be cooked in an oven-proof, glass chicken-roaster or baked in foil (use at least two layers to ensure the parcel does not leak). Having a tablespoon or two of jellied stock always at hand is difficult for the home-cook, unless you remember always to treasure the cooking liquids after baking meats. Pour them into a small container and refrigerate -jelled stock separates out underneath a layer of fat which seals and preserves the stock. A leg of suckling lamb weighs about 1 kg. If you don’t want to go to the expense of buying suckling lamb, buy the smallest lamb leg you can, probably around 1.5 kg. If you are baking the lamb in foil, start by browning the leg all over in a pan brushed with olive oil (not necessary if using a glass roaster). Cut 4 cloves of garlic into slivers, make slits all over the lamb with a sharp knife and tuck the garlic slivers inside. Dust the leg with salt and pepper, put it in the roaster or on foil, add a generous handful of fresh tarragon leaves or a tablespoon of dried, and 1 or 2 tablespoons jellied veal or chicken stock. Put the lid on the roaster or wrap the leg loosely in foil, sealing the seams securely to prevent juices escaping. Roast at 190C for between 35 minutes (suckling lamb wrapped in foil, still pink inside) and 1 hour (larger leg in roaster, well done). Rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve with the juices spooned over the meat. Good with creamy mashed potato to absorb the juices. From “Raw Materials” by Meryl Constance, The Syndey Morning Herald, 10/6/92. Courtesy Mark Herron.
Makes 4 to 6 servings. Posted by Stephen Ceideberg; October 30 1992.