Ingredients
Marinade
1 - 4-5 pound boneless leg of lamb (Ask your butcher to “truss” or “net” the leg of lamb to keep it intact.)
1 bottle Cabernet
1⁄2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoon Kosher salt
Roast
2 white onions (one peeled, one cut into quarters)
2 celery roots (peeled and cut into large chunks)
4 carrots (peeled and cut into large pieces)
4 parsnips (peeled and cut into large chunks)
2 bulbs of garlic (split in half widthwise)
1 bunch fresh thyme, chopped
3 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
9-10 cloves fresh garlic (cut in half lengthwise)
3 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Directions
Marinade
1. Whisk together the Cabernet, balsamic and salt until the salt dissolves.
2. Place the leg of lamb into a high-sided, non-reactive vessel and pour the marinade on top.
3. Cover and refrigerate for 4-5 hours. Turn the lamb every so often so that all sides are in contact with the marinade.
Roast
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place all the vegetables in a large roasting dish to form a “bed” on which you will later place the lamb.
2. Remove the lamb from its marinade. Save the marinade for later.
3. Using a small sharp knife, cut slits all around the lamb leg. Stuff the sliced garlic cloves into each one of the slits, really pushing them inside so they don’t pop out during cooking.
4. Rub the lamb leg with the olive oil, thyme, rosemary, black pepper and sea salt. Place the lamb fat side up onto the bed of vegetables and slide the whole thing into the oven. Roast for 18-20 minutes until the lamb is golden brown and the vegetables have begun to caramelize.
5. Reserve 1 cup of the marinade and pour the rest over the lamb. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees and roast the lamb for 30-45 minutes or until a probe thermometer reads 135 degrees when inserted in the thickest section. During the roasting process, it helps to spoon some of the marinade and cooking juices over the lamb intermittently.
6. Remove the lamb from the baking dish and set aside to rest. Discard the vegetables (or remove them from the pan to eat later). Place the roasting pan on the stovetop and heat over medium.
7. Pour the reserved cup of marinade into the dish and scrape up any of the brown bits left behind with a wooden spoon. Slice the lamb and serve with the wine pan juices.