The return of autumn means comfort food, and there is nothing more comforting than a roast to warm your heart and stomach during the cold months ahead.
This recipe, courtesy of Bord Bia as part of its Quality Mark lamb campaign, is perfect for any time of year. The combination of tender lamb, fragrant rosemary, and tangy lemon and capers is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Serve it with a home-made mint sauce, which is easy to make and adds an extra layer of flavour to the final dish.
Roast leg of lamb with rosemary, lemon and capers
Serve: six. Time: two hours.
Ingredients
1 leg of lamb, approximately 2kg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablesp rapeseed or olive oil
Zest of 1 lemon and juice of half a lemon
3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 tablesp rosemary leaves, chopped
2 tablesp capers
2 teasp plain flour
300ml beef or chicken stock
1 tablesp redcurrant jelly
Mint sauce
50g fresh mint
2 scallions, finely chopped
4 tablesp olive oil
1 tablesp red wine vinegar
2 teasp Dijon mustard
A pinch of caster sugar
Juice of half a lemon
To serve: Roasted vegetables and potatoes
Method
Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4, 180°C ( 350°F ).
Place the lamb in a roasting tin and lightly score the fat in a criss-cross pattern and season with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Place the oil, zest and lemon juice, garlic, rosemary and capers in a small food processor and whizz until smooth. You can also do this by hand. Spread the mixture over the lamb. Place in the preheated oven and cook for 1.5 hours approximately - allow 40 minutes per kg. After an hour baste the lamb with the juices. When cooked take it out of the oven, transfer to a carving board, cover loosely and allow to rest. Keep the juices in the pan to make the gravy.
Meanwhile make the mint sauce: Put all the ingredients into a food processor, add some salt and black pepper and whizz until smooth. Taste and add more seasoning if necessary.
To make the gravy: Stir the flour into the juices in the roasting tin and then gradually stir in the stock and redcurrant jelly. Place directly on the hob and simmer for five minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to release any sediment. Season, strain and serve.
To serve: Slice the lamb and serve with the mint sauce, vegetables, potatoes and gravy.
