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LEMON & OREGANO LAMB

Food from Many Greek Kitchens
by Tessa Kiros

Arnilemonato
This is sooow lemony. It is also a dish that you can really leave in the oven and go out shopping for a while and hardly even think about the fact that you left something in the oven.
This recipe is my friend Marion's way. She says to keep turning the lamb while it's marinating and spooning some of the marinade over every waking hour or so—she did say not to worry about it while sleeping. I use a large round (about 13 inches in diameter) or rectangular roasting pan here. You may have to ask your butcher to hack once into the leg (so it fits in the pan).
Serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS

• 1½ cups fresh lemon juice [6 to 7 lemons]
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 heaping tablespoon dried oregano
• 3 pounds 5 ounces leg of lamb, bone hacked in one place and hinged so it fits in the dish
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pounds 10 ounces potatoes, cut into big chunks

DIRECTIONS

Mix the lemon juice, olive oil and oregano with 1½ cups of water in a large nonreactive baking dish. Rub the lamb well all over with salt and black pepper and put it in the marinade. Turn it over a couple of times to coat well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours, turning it frequently throughout your waking hours.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Transfer lamb and marinade to a roasting pan and cover the lamb with a sheet of parchment paper, and then cover the pan tightly with 3 layers of aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour. Turn the lamb over, cover again and reduce the heat to 300°F. Bake the lamb for another 2 hours. Now turn the lamb gently, as it will be very tender. Add the potatoes to the dish and sprinkle a little salt over them. Cover again and bake for 2 hours, turning the potatoes once during this time. Remove the foil, shuffle the potatoes and put back in the oven at 400°F. Roast until a little golden here and there, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the lamb rest for 5 minutes before serving.