CHEF JEFF — ONE BYTE AT A TIME: Oven-Baked Lamb

This dish could star on the Easter table.

Oven-Baked Lamb

3 cloves garlic, cut in slivers

1 leg of lamb, 4 to 6 pounds

1 tablespoon rosemary leaves

1 lemon, halved

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 bay leaf

½ stick butter, melted

½ cup water

6 potatoes, peeled, quartered

2 tablespoons tomato paste, diluted in ½ cup warm water

1 tablespoon oregano

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Open a few gashes in meat with knife; push slivered garlic deep inside them. Do same with rosemary. Place meat in baking pan. Rub with lemon halves; season with salt, pepper to taste. Place bay leaf next to lamb. Baste with some of butter. Pour ½ cup water around meat. Bake 1 hour. Add potatoes around meat; pour tomato paste mixture over potatoes. Sprinkle with remaining butter, lemon juice, oregano. Bake, until internal temperature reaches desired doneness, 145 degrees for medium-rare. Allow to rest 15 minutes before carving.

Yield: Serves 8.

Grab more food tidbits at the Chef Jeff blog at GrandForksHerald.com.

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