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1
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
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2
It is recommended that you have the butcher remove and set aside the hipbone of the lamb.
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3
This is the upper bone that is attached to the main (straight) leg bone.
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4
This can also be done in the home kitchen, using a thin, sharp boning knife, neatly cutting all around the meat attached to the hipbone and severing the hipbone from the main bone.
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5
Cut off and discard the skin, leaving a light layer of fat.
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6
Rub two tablespoons of the lemon juice all over the lamb.
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7
Sprinkle the lamb with salt and pepper.
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8
Sprinkle one and one-half tablespoons of the oregano over the meat and rub it in.
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9
Make several deep gashes over the meat.
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10
Insert slivers of garlic in the gashes.
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11
Place the meat and the hipbone in a roasting pan and place the pan in the oven.
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12
Do not cover.
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13
Bake 40 minutes.
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14
Pour off the fat.
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15
Reduce the oven heat to 325 degrees.
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16
Pour one and one-half cups of water around the lamb and scatter the onions and celery all around.
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17
Bake, basting occasionally, about three hours longer.
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18
Check often and, when necessary, add more water.
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19
Sprinkle the potatoes with the remaining one-half tablespoon of lemon juice, salt, pepper and remaining tablespoon of oregano.
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20
Make four deep gashes in the meaty part of the lamb and turn the lamb cut side down in the pan.
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21
Add a little more water if necessary.
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22
Scatter the potatoes all around the lamb and continue baking 30 minutes.
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23
Turn the potatoes so that they brown on all sides.
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24
Turn the lamb and make four more gashes on this side.
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25
Place the lamb second side down and continue baking 30 minutes or until the potatoes are thoroughly tender.
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26
Remove the pan from the oven and discard the celery, onions and hipbone.
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27
Put the lamb on a carving board or dish.
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28
Put the potatoes in a serving dish.
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29
Pour the pan liquid into a bowl and skim off the fat.
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30
Pour the remaining pan liquid into a saucepan and reheat.
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31
Slice the lamb and serve with the pan liquid and potatoes.