Roast Butterflied lamb with salsa Verde

Butterflied and boned is the fastest and easiest way to roast a joint of lamb, and if you aren’t great at carving a joint, you will really love the fact that this roast requires slicing rather than carving.

serves 8

3tbsp olive oil

2tbsp red wine vinegar 3 garlic cloves, finely sliced

2tbsp finely chopped rosemary leaves

1.5kg boned and butterflied leg of lamb Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the salsa verde

1tbsp white wine vinegar 4 basil sprigs, chopped 2 flat-leaf parsley sprigs, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed 2 anchovy fillets, chopped

2tbsp capers

200ml extra virgin olive oil 1 Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/gas 7. 2 for the marinade, add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic and rosemary to a small bowl, season with salt and pepper and mix together until well combined.

3 Place the lamb, skin-side up, in a roasting tin and pour over the marinade. Using clean hands, rub the marinade into the lamb and then leave it to sit for 30min. this allows the flavours to be absorbed into the lamb and also gives the meat time to come to room temperature before roasting.

4 When the 30min is up, roast the marinated lamb for 40min.

5 While the lamb is roasting, add all the ingredients for the salsa verde to a bowl and mix together well.

6 remove the roasted lamb from the oven, cover with a loose tent of foil and leave to rest for 15min.

7 thinly slice the roasted lamb onto a warmed platter and spoon the salsa verde down the centre of the lamb. serve.

COOK’S NOTE: if you would prefer a classic mint sauce to the salsa verde, it’s simple to make. Whisk together 25g chopped mint, 1tsp caster sugar, 1tbsp hot water and 2tbsp white wine vinegar and leave to stand for

20 minutes for the flavours to infuse.