The lamb from Les Alpilles region of Provence feeds daily on wild thyme, marjoram, and a miscellany of other herbs, giving its meat a prized flavour. Combined with a delightful provencal-style stuffing, this lifts roast leg of lamb to new heights.
The recipe works equally well with British lamb although possibly add a few sprigs of rosemary and thyme to the roasting pan whilst cooking!
Ingredients:
1 leg of lamb, 2-2.5 kg, boned, butterflied and trimmed of excess fat.
for the stuffing:
500 g dried white breadcrumbs
125 ml milk
1 beaten egg with a touch of water added
2 good handfuls of spinach leaves
4 chopped rashers of streaky bacon
4 spring onions, chopped
2 tablespoon mixed finely chopped herbs - thyme, rosemary, marjoram
6 anchovy fillets
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
good splash dry white wine
225 ml lamb stock
To begin, spread the lamb open and press to flatten it. Now set aside.
Place the breadcrumbs in a large bowl and add the milk and beaten egg. Toss with a fork and leave to soak. Meanwhile, cook the spinach in a little water until it just wilts. Drain and allow to cool before squeezing out remaining water. Now add the cooked spinach to the breadcrumb mixture and stir to mix.
In a saute pan, fry the bacon until it just starts to brown and crisp up and set aside. In the same pan fry the spring onions for 1 minute, before adding to the stuffing mixture, along with the bacon. Season well, add the chopped mixed herbs and leave to one side.
Pound the anchovy fillets in a mortar, to a fine paste and add the chopped parsley and garlic, bending with olive oil to form a rough paste. Spread this paste on the inside surface of the flattened lamb.
Take the stuffing mixture and spread along the middle of the lamb, before rolling the leg carefully. Use skewers or string to close the lamb, forming a round roast.
Now pre-heat the oven to 160 C.
Take a flameproof roasting pan and place over a medium heat, and add the butter and a little olive oil. Take the lamb and brown over all sides (including the ends!)
Remove the lamb briefly and add the carrots, onion, wine and lamb stock stirring up any brown bits at the bottom. Add the lamb back in and place in the preheated oven.
Roast the lamb un-covered in the oven for 90 minutes, or until the meat thermometer reads 55 C. Transfer the meat onto a serving plate, cover loosely and allow to rest for 20 minutes. The smell will be fantastic, lamb and provencal herbs !!
Pour the contents of the roasting pan through a sieve into a saucepan, pressing down the vegetables to release as much flavour as possible.
Reduce the sauce a little and when ready to serve place in a warmed sauce dish.
Serve the lamb and sauce with some thinly sliced potatoes, roasted in the oven in olive oil for 50 minutes, and then crisped up for the last 10 at 200 C! Maybe some whole tomatoes, oven roasted also!
Enjoy!
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