Instructions: Several people, including an important cookbook editor, complained that the seven-hour leg of lamb from Patricia Wells "Bistro Cooking" (Workman insane, not to mention it will blow up your oven," griped one of the critics. We thought the method sounded rediculous too - it seemed that if you were going to cook a lamb for seven hours, at least you should do it at a lower temperature. We knew we had a sure-fire lower. We were wrong. The recipe turned out to be one of the best weve tasted so far this year.

Layer onions, carrots, garlic, bay leaves and thyme on bottom of non-reactive roaster (with cover) large enough to hold lamb. Place lamb on top of onion and carrot mixture and roast, uncovered, at 425F. 30 minutes.

Remove roaster from oven and generously season lamb with salt and pepper to taste. Return to oven and roast 30 minutes more.

Remove roaster from oven, leaving oven on. Place roaster on top of stove, slowly pour wine over lamb, cover, and bring liquid to boil. Return roaster, covered, to oven and roast 4-5 additional hours until lamb is fork tender, but not yet falling off the bone. (Timing will vary according to size and age of lamb and type of roasting pan used.) Check on lamb from time to time, reducing oven heat if lamb begins to burn or liquid begins to evaporate too much.

When lamb is fork tender, bury potatoes and tomatoes in liquid. Cover and roast until potatoes are cooked through, about 1 hour more. Lamb should now be very tender, still juicy and falling off bone.

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