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the goods 1 boneless leg of lamb 3 full heads of garlic fresh rosemary fresh mint 1 tspn seeded mustard juice 1 lemon salt and pepper olive oil 4-5 medium potatoes 2 lg onions, peeled gravy: 1 tblspn flour 1/2 cup white wine 2 tblspns white balsamic vinegar salt
time: 15-20 minutes active roasting: 25-30 mins per pound you will need:
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garlic and herb crusted roast lamb with crispy spuds and onion gravy The beauty of a small, boneless roast lamb is that you can fit the spuds in the same dish as the roast and the meal becomes a one-pan wonder! A 2 1/2 pound roast will feed 4 with leftovers. I bake it high, 425f, as this gets the crust nice and crispy and by the time that the lamb is roasted to medium rare, the spuds are done to perfection. If you buy a much larger roast or like your lamb a little more well done, then you might consider popping the potatoes into the pan a little later...say 30 mins after the roast starts. You should also lower the oven temperature so that the outside of the lamb isn't overdone before the centre cooks. Pre-heat the oven to 425f The crust: Place 12 peeled cloves of garlic (about 1 full head) into a blender or food processor with about 1 tblspn of fresh rosemary leaves, a fistful of mint leaves, 1 tblspn seeded mustard, 2 tblspns salt, 1 tspn fresh ground pepper, lemon juice and a splash of about 3 tblspns of olive oil. Blend to a paste. You might add 1 tblspn of flour. I usually make this paste after I make the pastry for my cauliflower rarebit and there is about that much flour in the bottom of the processor. Slice the onions across into 1 inch thick 'steaks' and place these in the centre of the baking pan. Place the lamb on top of the onions. Spread the garlic herb paste over the top of the roast and rub it in slightly. Slice each potato (unpeeled) into 3 and place these around the lamb. Slice the tops off 2 heads of garlic and add them to the pan also. Sprinkle salt over everything and douse it all with olive oil. Place in the oven and cook for 25-30 per pound (for a medium rare roast). The cooking time is a little longer because the roast is not cooked on a rack and the heat circulation is minimized, also the vegetables (and anything else in the oven) will lengthen cooking times. You might need to put a strip of aluminium foil over the top of the lamb if the crust starts to burn. Baste the meat and potatoes about half way through the cooking time. When the lamb is done, remove it to a plate and cover it with foil. It needs to sit, covered, for at least 20 minutes. This gives you time to finish the potatoes and make the gravy. Make sure the potatoes are tossed through the oil and meat juices, crank the oven up to 500f and let them sizzle away for an extra 15 minutes. Remove the potatoes and garlic and place them on a serving platter around the lamb. The onions can also be served up this way, or left in the pan to make onion gravy. Place the baking pan onto the stove top over a medium heat, add the flour and stir it into the cooking juices until it has blended. Add the wine and vinegar and a little salt. Bring to a boil. If the gravy gets too thick add a little more wine or water. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes and pour into a serving dish. Serve this roast with a big tureen of buttery peas and a cauliflower rarebit!
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