Lidia's Pot Roasted Herb Scented Lamb Loin

Total Time: 3 hrs Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1/2 cup fresh rosemary leaf, plus
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 10 cloves garlic
• 16 fresh sage leaves
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3 1/2 lbs boneless lamb loin (preferably with the tail intact)
• 1 bay leaf
• fresh ground black pepper

Recipe

• 1 put 1/2 cup rosemary leaves, 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, 5 garlic cloves, 8 sage leaves and 1 teaspoon of salt into a food processor bowl.
• 2 process until you have a fairly smooth paste.
• 3 lay out the lamb loin fat side down.
• 4 cut along the top side of the"tail" and into the eye of the roast.
• 5 continue cutting in a sawing motion, unrolling the loin into a rectangle of more or less even thickness.
• 6 spread the entire top surface of the lamb evenly with the herb paste.
• 7 starting with the side opposite the tail, roll the roast into a compact roll with a spiral of herb filling running through it.
• 8 tie the roast at 1-inch intervals with kitchen twine.
• 9 season generously with salt and pepper.
• 10 set the meat into a round 5-quart casserole dish.
• 11 add the remaining rosemary sprigs, sage leaves, garlic and bay leaf.
• 12 pour in just enough water to cover the meat.
• 13 season the water lightly with salt and pepper.
• 14 bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat to a simmer and cook, turning the meat occasionally, until almost all of the water has evaporated and the meat begins to stick to the casserole, about 2 hours.
• 15 skim any foam off of the surface as needed.
• 16 pour off the fat remaining in the braising pan and pour in the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
• 17 adjust the heat to very low.
• 18 cook, turning often, until the lamb has a caramelized golden brown crust, 15 to 30 minutes.
• 19 let the meat rest for 20 minutes and then slice into 1/4" thick slices.