Leg of lamb cooked in hay with rosemary sauce

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 1 leg of lamb without skin and bones about 1kg
• salt and pepper
• Rosemary and lemon balm, fresh
• Lovage and about 1 kg of hay
• 50 g shallot(s)
• 125 g butter
• 250 ml red wine
• 4 dl stock (lamb stock), brown
• 1 sprig(s) rosemary

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 40 minutes

Loosely cover the bottom of the roasting pan with hay about 5-10 cm deep and moisten with cold water. Season the leg of lamb with salt and pepper. Chop the herbs and rub them into the leg. Then place the leg on top of the hay in the roasting pan. Carefully wrap the leg in the remaining hay and moisten with cold water. Place the lid on top and place in the oven preheated to 200°C. After 40 minutes, reduce the temperature to 80°C and cook for another 40 minutes. Important: Do not open the lid during this time! For the sauce, dice the shallots and sweat them with the rosemary sprig in 25 g butter until translucent. Add the red wine and reduce until the liquid has almost completely evaporated. Then add the brown lamb stock and reduce slightly. Gradually add the remaining 100 g butter in small pieces to the sauce. (Butter must be cold!) It goes well with sautéed potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and I like a semi-dry Trollinger.