Leg of Lamb with Chestnuts

Wash the leg of lamb and dry it carefully, then place it in a baking dish A spacious pan. A well-dried surface promotes more even cooking and allows the seasonings to adhere without diluting. Make sure the meat is arranged comfortably, leaving room around it for the vegetables and the chestnuts to be added later.

Season the leg with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, the lardo crushed garlic, rosemary needles, and sliced ​​garlic. Spread the seasoning over the entire surface, gently massaging the meat to adhere the herbs. lardo It must be well spread out, without forming concentrated clumps.

Cut the carrots into small pieces, the onion, and the celery heart into rounds, then arrange them around the leg. Arrange the vegetables in an even layer so they can absorb the meat's juices while cooking. When the seasoning reaches them evenly, baking dish It's ready for the oven.

Bake at 180°C (356°F) for one hour. Turn the leg frequently and pierce it with a fork during cooking to distribute the juices and flavors evenly. Cook until the surface is nicely browned, the vegetables are wilted, and the bottom is fragrant.

Peel the chestnuts and boil them in water with a little salt and a pinch of sugar. Cook until the flesh is tender and easily digestible, without completely falling apart. Drain carefully and peel them while still warm enough to easily remove the outer skin.

Add the peeled chestnuts to the baking dish, placing them around the leg together with the already cooked vegetables. Distribute them in the pan juices, so they can absorb some of the lamb's juices and aromas. Proceed only when the chestnuts are whole and tender, ready to finish cooking without breaking.

Pour into the baking dish The small glass of rum and marsala Mix together, then return to the oven for another ten minutes. Let the alcohol evaporate, maintaining the heat at 180°C (356°F): the stock should become aromatic and slightly more concentrated, while the chestnuts and meat will finish flavoring without drying out excessively.

Remove the leg from the oven and serve it hot, accompanied by the chestnuts and vegetables collected in the pan juices. Distribute the remaining aromatic juices in the dish too. baking dish, checking that the meat is well colored and that the chestnuts are soft but still firm.