Herb-crumbed Leg of Lamb

Elevate your roast lamb with a delicious nutty, herby crust. It looks attractive and the crumb also serves as a stuffing alongside the meat.

Hands-on time 20min, plus coming up to room temperature and resting. Cooking time about 1hr 40min. Serves 8  2kg whole leg of lamb (on the bone)  2 onions, each cut into 8 wedges through the root  1tbsp olive oil FOR THE CRUMB  125g white bread or fresh breadcrumbs  2 garlic cloves, peeled

 100g pistachio kernels

 25g walnuts

 30g bunch flat-leaf parsley

 30g bunch mint, leaves picked  Finely grated zest 1 orange  100ml olive oil

 2tbsp Dijon mustard FOR THE GRAVY

 3tbsp plain flour  200ml white wine  400ml lamb or chicken stock

1 Take lamb out of fridge 30min before roasting. Pat dry with kitchen paper.

2 Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. Put the lamb in a roasting tin just large enough to hold it, then arrange onions around it. Season and drizzle over 1tbsp oil. Roast for 1½hr for pink meat. If your leg of lamb is larger/smaller, calculate the cooking time: allow 18min per 500g, plus 15min for medium-rare or 20-22min per 500g, plus 15min for well done.

3 Meanwhile, make the crumb: whizz the bread(crumbs), garlic and nuts in a food processor to crumbs. Add the parsley (stalks and all), mint leaves and orange zest and whizz again until finely chopped. If you don’t have a food processor, finely chop by hand. Scrape mixture into a bowl and mix in oil and plenty of seasoning – it should hold together when pressed (you may need more oil if chopped by hand).

4 Remove lamb from oven 20min before end of cooking time. Brush the mustard over the top and sides and carefully spoon and pat on the crumb (don’t worry if some falls into the tin). Return to the oven for remaining cooking time – a meat thermometer pushed into the thickest part of the meat should read about 60°C (for pink meat). Lift lamb on to a board (reserve the tin), cover loosely with foil and leave to rest in a warm place for 30-45min.

5 Meanwhile, make the gravy. Spoon all but 2tbsp fat out of the tin (leaving onions and any crumb mixture in the tin). Stir in flour and cook over medium hob heat for 1min. Gradually stir in wine and simmer for a few min. Stir in stock and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Strain and check seasoning. Serve alongside the lamb, reheated if needed. PER SERVING 679cals, 44g protein, 48g fat (12g saturates), 14g carbs (2g total sugars), 2g fibre GET AHEAD Make herb crumb up to 2hr ahead. Cover and store at room temperature. Complete recipe to serve.