Roasted Leg of Lamb

Right near the time when the leaves started falling, the air began to be cool, crisp, the autumn "Indian Summer" time was settling in. My favorite time of year - I was talking with my mother about lamb. Unbeknownst to why this topic came up - possibly because I don't remember really ever having it as a kid growing up. She told me that she tried to cook it once or twice, but we as kids never liked it - cried when we found out it was a baby animal. I laughed. Heck, I've had lamb many times, both in restaurants, and cooked it. But very rare. So i took it as a challenge to my mother to make a leg of lamb. Much to my surprise - she was up to the challenge, the sport she is. She not only got the lamb, but researched, and spent a number of tedious hours roasting it. And the result was spectacular. Here's a loosely re-interpreted recipe I gathered from that experience:

1 boneless short leg of lamb, rolled & tied (about 4 lbs.)
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
1 cup grape jelly (or marmalade)
3 large cloves garlic, sliced
Salt & Pepper
2 tsps fresh basil finely chopped
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

Make tiny slits in lamb with paring knife, insert garlic slices. Place lamb in marinade of rosemary, jelly, lime juice, red wine, vinegar, and basil. Marinade for a few hours. Just prior to cooking, preheat oven to 475°F. Remove lamb from marinade, season with salt and pepper, and place in a roasting pan and cook uncovered for 10 minutes at 475°F. Baste with drippings and left over marinade. Reduce heat to 400°F and continue cooking and basting for another 40 minutes or until the roast reaches an internal temperature between 140°F - 150°F depending how you like it.