Crusted Lamb Leg with Delmonico Potatoes
John and Lisa are back for a brand new series in their Weekend Kitchen with a Spring menu that's simply perfect for Easter. The main course is a succulent Herb Crusted Leg of Lamb - a show stopping centrepiece that's full of flavour.
Crusted Lamb Leg with Delmonico Potatoes
Serves 8
Ingredients
1 whole leg of lamb
Salt & pepper
6 shallots peeled and halved
2 stalks of rosemary
50mls olive oil
50g butter
150g large black and green pitted olives
10 mls red wine vinegar
1 large bunch of watercress
Herb Crust
200g white breadcrumbs
200g parsley
20g thyme leaves
4 cloves garlic (chopped)
Salt & pepper
100g Dijon mustard
Delmonico Potatoes
2 kilos of large potatoes
1 litre of milk
100g butter
1 garlic clove
Salt and pepper
1 loaf of bread (white unsliced is best)
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 220ºc or Fan200ºc
2. Take a leg of lamb and score it well. Rub with the oil and then salt and pepper.
3. Place the shallots in the roasting pan and place on the heat with a little more oil. Cook for 3 mins to give a little colour. Stir and continue to cook, add the olives and the rosemary.
4. Place the lamb on top and put the pan in the oven and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. After this time, reduce the temperature to 200ºc Fan180º and leave to cook for 1 hour for rare lamb. (If you prefer your meat to be well done, cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes.)
5. Meanwhile, make the potatoes by peeling and cutting into 1 inch cubes. Classically you would block the potato first so there are no scrappy round edge bits.
6. Put all the potatoes in a pot and cover with the milk. Chuck in the garlic clove, the two bay leaves and add a good grind of pepper and some salt.
7. Bring to the boil and once they come up to the boil take from the heat and drain, discard two thirds of the milk.
8. Grease an oven proof ceramic dish with butter, take the potatoes and toss with half remaining butter and season.
9. Using a food processor, blitz the bread into crumbs, remove enough to top the potatoes into a separate bowl and rub the remaining butter into them and top the potatoes.
10. Place in the top shelf of the oven and bake for 40 minutes until the breadcrumbs are a golden colour and crispy.
11. Now make the herb crust by mixing the remaining breadcrumbs in the food processor with parsley, thyme, garlic and salt & pepper.
12. Remove the lamb from the oven and brush with the mustard & cover with the herb crust, return the leg to the oven and cook for 10 minutes.
13. Take the finished lamb from the oven and remove from the tray and put to one side to rest. Add the vinegar to the pan and give a good swirl with all the juice.
14. Remove the potatoes from the oven and take the lamb and potatoes straight to the table and enjoy.