ROAST LEG OF LAMB SIDE DISHES RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup oil, garlic, chopped rosemary, and thyme. Place lamb in a large roasting dish, then season all over with salt and pepper. Brush herb oil all over lamb (you won’t use it all right now). Roast 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together whole garlic cloves, onions, rosemary sprigs, and lemons with 1 tablespoon oil, salt, and pepper. Reduce oven to 350°. Spread garlic, onions, rosemary, and lemon halves evenly around lamb, then coat lamb in more herb oil. Add ¼ cup water to roasting dish, then roast for 1 to 1 ½ hours more, until meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roast registers about 145° to 150°. Let lamb rest 15 minutes before carving and serving.

Steps:

• Lay the lamb, skin-side down, on a board – if the joint you bought is tied up, then snip the strings and unroll it. Cut several pieces of string long enough to tie around the lamb, then slide them under the joint so they’re regularly spaced out. Mix the stuffing ingredients together, and season well. Spread the stuffing out along the middle of the lamb, then fold the meat over to form a roll. Tie the string so the roll stays together, but don’t make it too tight or it will cut into the meat. Tie some string lengthways too, if necessary.
• Heat oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3. Season the lamb evenly all over. Heat a little oil in a large frying pan, then brown the lamb all over. Start with the side where the seam meets, as this will stop the lamb breaking up when you carve it.
• Tip the veg, garlic and rosemary into a roasting tin and put the lamb on top, seam-side down. Cook the lamb until the core temperature reaches 60C on a meat thermometer – this should take around 1 hr for a 2kg leg. As you rest the lamb, the temperature will continue to rise so don’t overcook it.
• Lift the lamb out of the tin and, keeping it warm, rest for up to an hour. Put the roasting tin on the hob. Add the stock, bring to a simmer, then tip the lot into a saucepan, scraping up any bits. Add 500ml water and then simmer again until reduced by half. Pour through a fine sieve and serve with the lamb.