Yesterday my mum bought a lot of potatoes because the shop she was at only sold them in 5kg bags. Then my brother brought home four sprigs of home-grown rosemary so I decided to make a roasted lamb leg.
Serves 6
Prep time 30 mins
Cook time 1.5 hour + 20 mins resting time
Ingredients
1.5-2kg lamb leg (bone in), trimmed
3 slices of trimmed bacon, diced into small pieces
4 garlic cloves
1 lemon, zested
4 sprigs of rosemary
25g butter
1.5kg potatoes, thick slices
500ml beef stock
For the cherry shiraz reduction:
1 tbsp cherry jam (or you can be more traditional and use redcurrant jelly instead)
250ml dry red wine (such as a shiraz)
1 tbsp flour
3 small onions, sliced
Gravy from roast lamb and potato bake (above)
Preheat the oven to 230C.
Make the herb butter marinade by blending the garlic, lemon zest, bacon, butter, and half the rosemary in a food processor.
Cut 2cm slits into the lamb leg on both sides (so you can put more marinade in!). Rub the herb butter all over ensuring you slide some into the slits. Season with salt and pepper.
Line a baking tray with the potatoes and the beef stock. Place the lamb leg on top and sprinkle the remaining rosemary. Place in the oven for 15 minutes.
Reduce the heat of the oven to 180C and cook for a further 1 hour and 15 minutes. Flip the lamb after 30 minutes so it doesn’t get too dry on one side.
When the lamb is ready, lift it out of the baking tray on to a separate plate. Cover with foil and let it rest for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the cherry sauce by adding the onions, cherry jam, and red wine into a saucepan and bringing it to a simmer. Stir in the flour and let the sauce reduce until it is half its volume. Drain the gravy from the potatoes and mix the gravy with the cherry sauce.
Carve the lamb and serve with the cherry shiraz reduction and potatoes. Place slices of the lemon on the side in case your guests want a more tangy flavour. You may also want to serve with a side salad or steamed greens (not included in the calorie count).