Easter lamb
We all celebrate special occasions and during these times, a leg of lamb remains a firm favourite. This recipe is characterised by its spices.
Serves 4 plus leftovers Preparation time 5 minutes Cooking time 60–80 minutes plus 30 minutes resting time
YOU NEED
• 1 leg of lamb of about 2,2 kg
(on the bone)
• 2 rosemary sprigs, leaves stripped
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• finely grated zest and juice of
1 large lemon
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) coriander seeds, crushed
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) whole cumin
• ½ teaspoon (2,5 ml) ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon (2,5 ml) ground cinnamon
• olive oil
THIS IS HOW
Remove the lamb from the fridge to allow it to get to room temperature. Heat the oven to 200 ºC.
Make the rub Use a mortar and pestle to finely crush the rosemary and garlic with a little salt. Add the lemon zest along with the coriander, cumin, ginger, cinnamon and a splash of olive oil. Grind everything to form a coarse paste.
Wipe the leg of lamb with a vinegarsoaked cloth and place it in an oven dish. Use a sharp knife to make approximately six incisions in the leg. Rub the rosemary and lemon mixture all over the leg, inserting some of the mixture into the incisions. (The meat can now be left to stand overnight if it hasn’t been seasoned with salt.)
Season the leg all over with salt and pepper. Place the oven dish on the middle oven rack and roast the leg, uncovered, until cooked to your liking: 60 minutes for pink; 80 minutes for medium. (See the info box that follows.) Place the meat on a serving platter and leave it to rest under a foil tent for about half an hour.
Make the sauce Place the dish containing the pan juices on a stove plate. Add ½ cup (125 ml) of white wine and, to thicken it, make a paste of 1 tablespoon (15 ml) cake wheat flour and 1 tablespoon soft butter – in gourmand circles, this is known as beurre manié. If you’re feeling nostalgic for your grandmother’s brown sauce, use a portion of the pan juices to prepare 3 tablespoons (45 ml) Bisto. Heat the pan juices over medium heat while stirring in the Bisto paste and add a lump of cold butter for gloss. Taste and season the sauce with salt, pepper and a dash or two of goodquality Worcestershire sauce for depth. If more flavour is needed, rather add a few drops of lemon juice instead of salt. Pour the sauce through a sieve.