serves 6
A really tasty way of roasting – the anchovies add a subtle salty flavour but don’t taste ‘fishy’. This recipe also works well for a rack of lamb with a 20 minute sizzle if only a small rack – no further cooking required.
Leg of lamb, around 2kg
10 fillets of anchovies in oil or salt
½ lemon
Salt & pepper
1 handful rosemary, roughly chopped
Rapeseed or vegetable oil (not olive oil)
2-3 garlic cloves, cut in thick slivers 1 glass white wine
With a sharp pointed knife, pierce the skin of the lamb at an angle about 5cm deep and about 10 times randomly about the leg, poking your finger into each cut to make a bit of room. Rub the skin with the lemon. Push a bit of the rosemary, garlic and anchovy fillets into the cuts. Season the outside of the lamb with salt and pepper. Put a little oil into a roasting tray and add the lamb. Roast at 225C/Gas 8 for half an hour. Turn the oven down to 160C/Gas 3 and roast for the following times per 500g depending on how you like your meat:
Rare – 10 minutes
Medium – 15 minutes
Well-done – 20 minutes
Turn every 30 minutes and add a wineglass of water 10 minutes before the lamb is done. Once done, leave to rest for at least 20 minutes wrapped in foil. Make up gravy from roasting tin juices giving it a good scrape as you go.
Variations (leave out rosemary and anchovies from above)
Pancetta, Sage and Rosemary
Mash up garlic with a handful of sage and some salt, then add oil. Cut 85g pancetta into slivers. Mix whole lot up and stuff into incisions.
Apricot and Thyme
Mash up garlic with a handful of thyme and some salt, then add oil. Chop a handful of dried apricots. Mix whole lot up and stuff into incisions.
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