Crusty Roast Lamb  

Ingredients
1 – 4 pound shoulder of lamb
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1½ pounds potatoes
1 large onion, diced
1 large cooking apple
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
½ teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1¼ cups chicken stock

 Directions
Peel potato and cut into slices of medium thickness. Set aside. Peel, core and slice apple. Set aside.
Pat the lamb dry and cut criss-cross slits around the top. Mix the breadcrumbs, rosemary, butter, salt and pepper. Rub the mixture onto the top of the meat, pressing down well so that it sticks. Fill the bottom of a roasting pan with the vegetables and apple, mixing them and seasoning well with salt and pepper. Put the lamb on top, then pour the stock into the pan, but not over the meat. Cover loosely with foil and bake for thirty minutes at 400° F. Lower the heat until 350° F. oven and cook for another 30-35 minutes. Take off the foil for the final half hour, to let the top get brown and crusty and to fully roast the vegetables.