Roast leg of lamb
SERVES 6 PREP AND COOK TIME 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES
2kg leg of lamb, bone in 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary ½ cup small fresh rosemary sprigs 1kg potatoes, halved, or quartered if large 3 small (240g) onions, unpeeled, quartered 1 cup (250ml) chicken stock
1 Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). 2 Place lamb in an oiled large baking dish (the baking paper in the picture is for presentation). Using a sharp knife, cut at least 15 slits into the lamb at 2cm intervals. Rub surface with garlic, then sprinkle with chopped rosemary. Insert a small rosemary sprig into each slit. Season. Place the potatoes and onions around the lamb, in a single layer. Add stock to dish. Season well. 3 Roast lamb and vegetables for 15 minutes; spoon pan juices over vegetables. Reduce oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced); roast for a further 45 minutes or until cooked as desired. Check during roasting and add a little more stock or water if the pan juices are darkening too quickly. To check that the lamb is done to your liking, insert a skewer or meat thermometer into the centre of the thickest part of the meat, away from the bone and fat. It is cooked to medium when it reaches 65-70°C (see panel, right). 4 Remove lamb from oven; place on a plate. Cover with foil; rest for 15 minutes. Turn vegetables in pan juices; return to oven. Roast for a further 10 minutes or until browned. Reduce the oven to 120°C (100°C fan-forced) to keep warm. Place serving plates and platters in oven to warm. 5 Meanwhile, strain pan juices from lamb into a medium jug. Skim and discard fat from juices. Reheat pan juices if needed. 6 Slice lamb; serve with roasted vegetables, pan juices and mint sauce, if desired.
Not suitable to freeze or microwave.