Mainland Greek Arni sto Fourno me Patates (Αρνί στο Φούρνο με Πατάτες)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •large metal tapsi or roasting pan, about 35cm by 25cm
• •baking paper and heavy foil for sealing the pan
• •instant-read thermometer, optional, for checking doneness near the bone

Instructions

1. 1

   Season the lamb

   Take the lamb out of the refrigerator 45 minutes before cooking. Heat the oven to 220C. Make small cuts all over the meat with the tip of a knife and push the sliced garlic into them. Rub the lamb with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, 2 teaspoons of the salt, half the oregano, and half the pepper. Let it sit while you prepare the potatoes.

2. 2

   Dress the potatoes

   Put the potato wedges in a large tapsi, a metal roasting pan, about 35cm by 25cm. Add the minced garlic, lemon juice, wine or water, remaining olive oil, remaining salt, remaining oregano, remaining pepper, the mustard if using, and the bay leaves. Turn everything with your hands until the potatoes shine all over. They should sit in a shallow bath, not swim.

3. 3

   Start it hot

   Nestle the lamb over the potatoes, fat side up, and tuck the lemon rounds around the pan. Roast uncovered for 25 minutes, until the lamb takes color and the edges of the potatoes begin to catch. This first heat gives the meat its crust before the slower cooking begins.

4. 4

   Roast it slowly

   Lower the oven to 170C. Cover the pan tightly with baking paper and then foil, sealing the edges well, and roast for 1 hour 30 minutes. The method that decides the dish is this: the potatoes go in from the beginning, under the lamb, so they drink the fat, lemon, garlic, and meat juices as they cook. Add them late and you get roast potatoes beside lamb, not arni me patates.

   Check once halfway through. If the pan is dry, add 80ml hot water around the edge, not over the lamb.
5. 5

   Brown and finish

   Remove the foil and baking paper. Turn the potatoes gently so their pale sides meet the juices, then roast uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes more, basting the lamb twice with the pan juices. The lamb should be deeply browned and tender enough that a fork pulls the meat easily near the bone. The potatoes should be golden at the edges, soft inside, and glossy with lemony oil.

6. 6

   Rest and serve

   Move the lamb to a board and rest it for 20 minutes. Keep the potatoes in the turned-off oven with the door slightly open so they stay warm without drying. Slice or pull the lamb into generous pieces, spoon the potatoes and pan juices around it, and finish with parsley if you like. Serve with a sharp green salad, feta, and bread for the juices.

Chef Tips

• •Choose lamb shoulder if you want tenderness and pan juices. Leg is leaner and looks handsome, but it dries faster. Goat works beautifully too, especially if you find young kid, but it may need another 20 to 30 minutes.
• •Don't cut the potatoes small. Big wedges survive the long roast and come out creamy inside. Small pieces collapse before the lamb is ready, and then you have mash in lamb fat. Good, yes, but not this dish.
• •Serve it with something sharp and plain: maroulosalata, boiled greens with lemon, or a cabbage salad in winter. Easter may bring red eggs and mageiritsa first, but the tray still wants acidity beside it.

Advance Preparation

• •Season the lamb up to 12 hours ahead and refrigerate it covered. Bring it toward room temperature before roasting.
• •Peel and wedge the potatoes up to 4 hours ahead, then keep them covered in cold water. Drain and dry them well before dressing.
• •Leftovers keep for 3 days refrigerated. Reheat covered with a spoonful of water, then uncover briefly so the potatoes regain their edges.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 425g)