Spring roast lamb with a quince jelly glaze

With deep flavours that pack a punch, this seasonal roast is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

Serves 4-6

800g leg of lamb (or about 1.6kg including the bone) – reduce the cooking time by 1 hr if butterflied

2 medium fennel bulbs (600g), trimmed, cut into wedges

2 medium red onions, cut into wedges 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp dried rosemary (or 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, stalk removed and leaves finely chopped) 120g quince jelly (or redcurrant jelly) 3 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced 180ml beef stock 1 Take the meat of the fridge about 30 mins before cooking. This will help it stay succulent as it cooks. Preheat oven to 140C/Fan 120C/Gas 1.

2 Layer the bottom of a deep baking dish with the fennel and red onion and drizzle with half the olive oil. Rub the lamb with the remaining olive oil and rosemary, then season with plenty of salt and pepper. Place in a frying pan and fry over a medium-high heat, turning until all sides are browned. Set the pan aside – but keep the juices.

3 Lay the lamb on the fennel and red onion and cover with foil. Cook for 5 hrs, or until the meat starts falling off the bone.

4 Returning to your frying pan, add in the quince jelly, garlic and beef stock and heat, stirring for 5 mins until everything is well combined.

Let it simmer slowly (uncovered) for a further 10 mins. Pop the sauce in a container and store in the fridge until the next step.

5 About 20 mins before the lamb is due out, spoon half of the quince sauce over the lamb. Cook the lamb for the remaining 20 mins with the foil removed (but keep the foil for the resting stage). Now is the time to put the carrots in the oven (see right for the Honey & garlic roasted carrots).

6 Once ready, transfer the fennel and red onion to a serving platter and place the lamb on top. Recover with the foil to rest and stay warm for at least 15 mins before slicing. If cooking the carrots, turn the heat up to 220C/ Fan 200C/Gas 7 now,

7 To finish the sauce, spoon the excess fat off the baking juices from the lamb and pour some of the juices into the reserved quince sauce, then reheat until gently bubbling. Pour over the meat then slice and serve.