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1
Trim the leg, but don't cut off the fat unless the leg has an excessive layer of fat.
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2
The fat is part of the deliciousness, and prevents drying out out the meat during roasting.
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3
Using a small pan, roast the coriander -- shake the pan so it does not burn.
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4
Roast just until you can smell it, or it starts to catch.
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5
In a mortar and pestle, crush the coriander slightly.
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6
The seeds do jump around, so hold one hand over the mortar!
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7
Slice the garlic cloves into strips, and chop the bacon.
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8
Keep a small pile of dried thyme at hand.
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9
With a sharp paring knife, stick slits all over the lamb and on the underside.
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10
These can be enlarged with a finger.
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11
Roll a sliver of garlic and a piece of bacon in the dried thyme, and stuff into each slit.
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12
Put the leg in a non-reactive glass or ceramic dish -- an oval-shaped one is best, or use a suitable rectangular Pyrex dish.
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13
Pour the red wine over the lamb, to come up halfway.
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14
Take a palm full of coriander seeds and rub over the lamb, also on underside.
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15
Sprinkle the rest over and also into the red wine, along with more garlic and thyme.
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16
Marinate the lamb for at least 24 hours, but preferably 2 - 3 days.
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17
Turn once or twice every day.
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18
To roast, heat oven to medium, 350 deg F/180 deg F.
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19
Lift leg out of wine and into an oven roaster.
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20
Do not use the wine marinade, as it often turns a little bitter, but keep some to add to the gravy later.
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21
Add no more than 1/2 cup water to the roaster (preferably the oval tin type).
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22
If leg is lean, dribble over cooking oil.
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23
If the leg has a nice layer of top fat, no oil is necessary.
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24
Roasting time is hard to prescribe: it was usually calculated at about 25 minutes per lb.
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25
plus 25 minutes extra.
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26
It all depends on whether you have a tender lamb which you'd prefer to keep slightly underdone, or an older, muttony leg which might need enough time in the oven to cook through.
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27
I will calculate the time given here on a 6lb leg of lamb @ 25 minutes per pound, but that might be too long for a tender leg.
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28
When done, lift on to a serving platter.
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29
Skim off most of the fat, and if your roaster is okay with it, put it on a stove plate.
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30
(Otherwise decant all juices and bits to a small pot).
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31
Use beef stock (use granules or whatever you have) to make 3/4 cup of stock, and add 1/4 cup of the leftover wine marinade.
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32
Whisk in 2 level tablespoons flour.
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33
(I would use Bisto, but I can see the shocked expressions -- don't worry, this way Bisto makes excellent gravy).
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34
Whisk the stock into the pot or roaster with the scrapings and juices, and stir until it starts bubbling and thickens.
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35
Taste -- it might need more salt and will certainly need black pepper.
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36
Anoint the leg with a couple tablespoons of gravy.
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37
As the leg was not salted, put the salt pot on the table.
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38
Serve with yellow rice, the gravy, stewed green beans, a carrot side dish and roast potatoes.
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39
With whatever salad you like -- and mint sauce, which will be posted separately.
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40
A mellow S A Merlot or Pinotage would go well with this.
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41
And please see that the carver does his job correctly -- against the grain.
