It's the Easter weekend, but the epidemic that is Covid-19 continues to spread.
With the lockdown underway, many will be skipping huge family lunches and dinners this year. Luckily, the Head Chef of the Endless Horizons Boutique Hotel, Ashley Conquest shares one of his favourite Easter dishes for the whole family to enjoy during isolation.
Leg of Lamb
What you will need:
· 2 kg leg of lamb
· 1 bulb of garlic
· ½ a bunch of fresh rosemary
· 1.5 kg potatoes
· 1 lemon
· Olive oil
For the mint sauce:
· 1 bunch of fresh mint
· 1 teaspoon of sugar
· 3 tablespoons wine vinegar
How to prepare the dish:
- Remove the lamb from the fridge at least 1 hour before you want to cook it, so that it comes down to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius and place a roasting dish for the potatoes at the bottom.
- Break the garlic bulb into cloves, peel three and leave the rest whole.
- Pick and roughly chop half the rosemary leaves, peel and halve the potatoes.
- Crush the peeled garlic into a bowl, add the chopped rosemary, finely grate in the lemon zest and drizzle in a good “lug” of oil, then mix together.
- Season the lamb with sea salt and black pepper, then drizzle with the marinade and rub all over the meat. Place on the hot bars of the oven above the tray.
- Parboil the potatoes in a pan of boiling salted water for ten minutes, then drain and allow to steam dry. Gently toss the potatoes in the colander to scuff up the edges and then tip back into the pan.
- Add the remaining rosemary sprigs and whole garlic cloves to the potatoes, season with salt and pepper and then drizzle over a good “lug” of oil. Tip the potatoes into the hot tray and place back under the lamb to catch all the lovely juices.
- Cook the lamb for an hour and fifteen minutes if you want it pink or an hour and thirty minutes if you like it more well done.
- Meanwhile, make the mint sauce, pick and finely chop the mint leaves, then place in a small bowl. Mix in the sugar, a good pinch of salt, one tablespoon of hot water and the vinegar.
- When the lamb is cooked to your liking, remove from oven and leave to rest for 15 minutes or so. Carve and serve with the roast potatoes, mint sauce and some seasonal greens. Try putting a few parsnips or carrots in with the roast potatoes.