Best Spanish Recipes: Cordero Asado

Over the years, we've naturally tried to recreate our favorite Spanish dishes at home. Cooking and tasting these traditional foods gives us pleasure. The real joy comes from sharing these foods with family and friends.

For more on our food experiences across Spain, see our Ultimate Guide to Spanish Foods.

Find our gazpacho recipe here.

Please note: we owe a lot to the original recipes from which we adapted, more or less, to our tastes.

Cordero Asado (Roast Leg of Lamb)

Adapted from Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook, by Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins, Workman Publishing 1984.

1 bone-in leg of lamb around 6 lbs
4- 6 cloves of garlic
Juice from 1/2 fresh lemon (about 1/2 Cup)
1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1 1/2 tsp coarse ground pepper
Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Make small slits around all sides of the leg and insert slivers of the garlic into the slits. Rub the entire leg with lemon juice and then pat the rosemary and black pepper over the surface.
Place the leg in a roasting pan and place in the preheated oven. Immediately turn the temp down to 350 F. Roast for 1 1/2 hour for medium rare (about 130-135 internal temp). Let stand 10 minutes before carving.

Serves 6-8.

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