"Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
...
>I just bought a small lamb roast < $22 at $7/lb. <cough> So you can
> see it's just a little over three pounds. It looks wonderful < I don't
> know what they cut from it to make it this size but I feel fortunate to
> have it * it has only the shank bone going through the middle of it.
>
> I have never in my borned days cooked (from raw) lamb. (A couple months
> ago I heated some already-roasted lamb from TJ. That's as close to
> cooking it as I've ever come.) I had some samples of leg of lamb at my
> food co-op last week and it was seriously delicious.

No different than any other roast. Same rules apply.

> Does a hot start and a slow finish apply to a lamb roast? I'd love to
> see the outside of it nice and brown, but at 3#, will it have enough
> time in a slow oven to brown if I don't start it hot?

If you want a dark crust and a rarer center, then yes. First 30 minutes at
high heat then back it down for the remainder. If you want mostly well done
meat then slow cook from start to finish. You can always brown it a bit on
the stove before putting it in the oven.

> My plan is to KISS * rosemary is my herb of choice for sprinkling on top
> of it. Do I want to slather on some olive oil first?

It makes no difference. I usually go olive oil on top of any seasonings or
you can mix it all up in a pan and roll the roast in it Jamie Oliver style.

> BTW, I don't think I'll be cooking this for a while < maybe not until
> next week, in fact. I have to consult with my hostess about this * she
> may not be interested in lamb for Easter dinner.
> ---

If it were me, I would bone it, butterfly it, pound it flat a bit and stuff
it with olive oil, rosemary or sage, prosciuto, garlic, toasted pine nuts
and perhaps even some feta cheese. Then I'd roll it up and tie it, sear it
till browned in a hot pan with olive oil and roast at about 325 until the
internal temp was about 160.

Always let the roast rest for 15 minutes to set the juices.

Paul