Brilliant leg of lamb in a Roman pot

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 2 kg leg(s) of lamb
• 8 garlic cloves
• 6 sprigs rosemary
• some olive oil
• 3 tbsp mustard, medium hot
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup crème fraîche (creme legere)
• 3 onions
• 2 carrots
• ¼ liter red wine
• ½ liter broth
• 5 slice(s) ham, smoked
• possibly water or cream

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Total time approx. 45 minutes

Leg of lamb rubbed in mustard with smoked ham and rosemary (in a Berndes pot with a Roman lid)

First, trim the leg of lamb of any fat (unless you prefer a lamb flavor), then rub the leg with salt and pepper. Using a sharp knife, pierce any holes in the leg of lamb, slice two cloves of garlic, and insert them into the holes. Mix the mustard with six crushed garlic cloves and rub the mustard into the leg of lamb. Cut small rosemary sprigs and insert these into the holes as well. If there’s still room, add a little more ham. Distribute the remaining rosemary sprigs over the leg and place the smoked ham slices over these sprigs. Place the mixture in the earthenware pot (I used a pot that only had a earthenware lid) that has been soaked for 10 minutes. Cut the carrots into large chunks, quarter the onions, and place them around the leg of lamb. Place the pot in the oven (it doesn’t need to be preheated). Set the temperature between 180 and 200 degrees Celsius (350 and 400 degrees Fahrenheit) and leave the whole thing in the oven for about 1 1/2 hours. Then check if there is still liquid in the pot. When the bottom has almost no liquid left and everything is slightly browned, add the wine and stock. It’s important that the bottom is already browned, as this will give you the flavor for the sauce. After 4 hours, the leg is ready (allow 1 hour per pound). Then remove the leg from the pot, keep it warm in the oven, and prepare the sauce by adding a cup of crème fraîche and blending in the carrots and onions. If the sauce is too thick, add water or cream.