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Bogana (Greek Roasted Leg of Lamb with Tomatoes)

Bogana (Greek Roasted Leg of Lamb with Tomatoes)

/ Lamb Recipes

Bogana is a traditional holiday dinner dish from Argolida, Peloponnese, with Leg of Lamb, roasted with whole baby potatoes and tomatoes.

What makes it different and more delicious from other roasted lamb recipes, is the addition of ewe’s and goat milk butter which gives its wonderful taste.

Bogana takes its name from the dish it is cooked it, which is more commonly known as “gastra” in Greek, which is similar to a Dutch oven.

Traditionally this dish was baked in a wood fired oven or in a fireplace covered and surrounded by ember.

However, as this old method of roasting is almost disappearing, a good way to mimic this is to cover the baking tin with parchment paper and then with aluminum foil, so that it is slowly roasted.

As you may notice in the video I have left the caul fat on the leg.   If you still buy your meat from a butcher, ask your butcher to give you some.  This gives moisture to the meat and an incredible taste to the meat and potatoes.

I start by putting that side down first so as when I remove the aluminum tent and turn the meat and potatoes over, the caul fat melts and penetrates the meat, giving the skin an amazing crispy crunch and flavor!

Useful tips:

Instead of lamb you can add goat.

Instead of baby potatoes, you can use any potatoes suitable for baking, cut into big chunks.

Potatoes with skin on , have a lot of vitamins, fibre etc., but before using them give them a good scrub first to remove dirt and cut out any blemishes.

However, If you don’t like the potatoes with skin on you can peel them.  However, I urge you to give them a try before rejecting them as they taste far better with the skin on.

Instead of baby tomatoes, you can use other tomatoes, cut into smaller pieces or use only tinned tomatoes.

The traditional recipe is baked with only ewe’s and goat milk butter.  However, in order to make it healthier, with less cholesterol, I added less butter and more olive oil.

For older lamb or goat, you will need more time to roast it.  I would suggest that you give it half hour more before removing the aluminum tent.

Try this dish and you will not regret it.  The meat will be succulent, moist and tender and the roasted tomatoes and potatoes will have an incredible taste!

Ingredients

  • 1.500 grams leg of baby lamb

  • 1.500 grams whole baby potatoes (suitable for the oven)

  • 2 cloves garlic

  • 1/2 can chopped tomatoes (200 grams)

  • 10 cherry tomatoes

  • 1 tablespoon salt

  • Freshly ground pepper

  • 1 tablespoon oregano

  • 3 – 4 sprigs rosemary

  • 1/2 cup lemon juice (two juicy lemons)

  • 100 grams ewes and goat milk butter

  • ¾ cup olive oil

  • 1 cup water

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 200° C / 400o F.
  2. Make a cut in the baby potatoes with a sharp knife.
  3. Prepare the aluminum tent.
  4. Wash the lamb. Make two slits and add the garlic.
  5. Season the lamb with salt, pepper and oregano.
  6. Add the potatoes and season them as well.
  7. Put the lamb in the middle of the baking tin and arrange the potatoes around it.
  8. Add half of the tinned tomatoes, the butter, olive oil, lemon juice and water.
  9. Add the cherry tomatoes as well as the rosemary.
  10. Cover with the aluminium tent and bake for 2 ½ hours.
  11. Remove the aluminium tent (Watch out for the steam!) and turn the meat and potatoes over.
  12. Lower temperature to 180o C and bake until golden and crispy on top, for about half an hour more.

Notes

Greek lambs or goats come with a blue seal, in order to distinguish them from imported meat, which have a brown seal. They are of a higher quality and much more expensive than imported meat.

I tried to remove as much as possible, just because I don’t like seeing it on the meat but otherwise the seal is not toxic and can be eaten with no problem.

Nutrition Information

Yield 6

Serving Size 1


Amount Per Serving

Calories 285Total Fat 30gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 23gCholesterol 7mgSodium 1091mgCarbohydrates 5gFiber 1gSugar 2gProtein 1g

Bogana (Greek Roasted Leg of Lamb with Tomatoes)

Bogana is a traditional holiday dish from Argolida, with Leg of Lamb, roasted with whole baby potatoes and tomatoes. What makes it different and more delicious from other roasted lamb is the addition of ewe’s and goat milk butter which gives its wonderful taste.

Lamb Kleftiko (Ofton)

Lamb kleftiko is a rustic, traditional Greek recipe made with slow cooked lamb, first marinated in garlic, olive oil and lemon juice.

Kopiaste and Kali Orexi!

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