New Zealand Lamb dinner
This Mother’s Day, let Mum put her feet up, and cook a meal that comes straight from the heart.
This simple roast recipe is easy enough even for kitchen novices to try their hand at, perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon with the family. For those who are looking for further inspiration, check out www.loveourlamb.co.uk to see New Zealand chef Peter Gordon teaching England rugby star Will Greenwood how to make this meal - live from 1st March 2012.
Mother’s Day Roast Leg of Lamb
Serves: 4-6
Preparation Time: 20 mins
Cooking Time: 2h 20
1 x 2 – 2.5kg leg of lamb
1 large red onion, peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped (optional)
The leaves from 2 x 10cm stalks of rosemary
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 medium parsnips peeled, topped and tailed, cut into chunks
1 bunch baby carrots, scrubbed
800g mashing potatoes, peeled and cut in half
100ml double cream
60g butter
1 medium head broccoli, cut into large florets
150g frozen peas
A small handful mint leaves, torn
1½ tablespoons flour
Preheat the oven to 180ËC. Place the lamb in a roasting dish and poke a thin, small knife into it in about 20 places. In a bowl, mix the onion, garlic, rosemary, thyme and olive oil with some salt and pepper and rub this all over the lamb. Leave for 20 minutes, then rub it in again and place in the centre of the oven and roast for an hour.
Turn the lamb over and add the parsnips to the roasting dish along with half a tea cup of hot water. Roast for 45 minutes, basting the lamb with the pan juices a couple of times. Turn the lamb over again and add the baby carrots. It will be cooked medium (which is lovely for a leg of lamb) in another 20-40 minutes.
Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water.
Remove the lamb from the roasting dish and place in a dish loosely covered with foil. Rest in a warm place for 20 minutes.
Drain the potatoes into a colander. Using the pot they were cooked in, bring the cream and all but 1 tablespoon of the butter to the boil. Return the potatoes to the pot and mash them with salt and pepper. Keep a lid on the pot to keep it warm.
Bring another pot of lightly salted water to the boil and add the broccoli. Bring back to the boil and add the peas. Bring back to the boil and cook for 2 minutes. Drain, reserving the liquid, then toss with the reserved butter and mint and keep warm.
If you can place the vegetable roasting dish on the hob, then remove the vegetables. If not, pour the roasting juices into a saucepan. Place over a moderate heat, add the flour and stir to make a paste, then slowly add the juices from the leg of lamb and as much liquid from the vegetables as possible to make gravy. Taste for seasoning.
To serve: simply carve the lamb and arrange on warmed plates with vegetables, mash and gravy.
Tagged in Cream Heart England Mother's Day Recipes