Roast Leg of Lamb for Easter

Makes 8 servings

EndTextStartText

1 leg of lamb, 4-5

pounds, tail, pelvic,

and thigh bones

removed, shank

bone and heel left

attached, at room

temperature

Salt and pepper

3 garlic cloves, chopped

3 anchovy filets

Large handful of fresh

parsley leaves

2 cups black coffee

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups chicken stock,

or more

EndTextStartText

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Season the lamb with salt and pepper. Make a pile with the garlic, anchovies, parsley, and a pinch of salt and pepper on a cutting board and chop it together to make a fine paste. Using the tip of a paring knife, make several 1-inch-deep slits all over the meaty parts of the lamb. Push the paste into the slits with your finger. Some of the paste will smear on the surface of the lamb, but that's fine.

2. Put the lamb on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Pour the coffee into the pan. Roast the lamb until it is nicely browned on the outside, rosy pink on the inside, and the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees for medium rare, about 11/2 hours. Add a splash of water to the pan as the lamb roasts if the pan juices begin to dry out. Transfer the lamb to a warm serving platter or cutting board, loosely tent it with foil, and let the roast rest for 15 to 20 minutes before carving.

3. To make the pan gravy, put the roasting pan with the drippings on top of the stove and heat over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly to prevent it from getting lumpy, until the flavor is toasty rather than raw, 3 to 4 minutes. Whisk in the stock and cook, whisking constantly, until the gravy is smooth and thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Thin the gravy with a little more stock if it's too thick. Strain the gravy through a sieve into a gravy boat and serve with the carved roast.

Per serving: 473 calories, 70 grams protein, 2 grams carbohydrates, no sugar, 19 grams fat, 219 milligrams cholesterol, 1,165 milligrams sodium, no dietary fiber.