Look out for boneless lamb leg joints, it speeds up roasting and makes carving simple.
- Serves 4
- Preparation time: 20 minutes
- Marinade time: 30 minutes or longer
- Cooking time: 25-35 minutes
- 800 g (1¾lb.) boneless butterfly lamb leg joint
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon clear honey
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon roughly crushed black peppercorns
- Little salt
Blackberry confit
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 red onions, chopped
6 tablespoons red wine
225 g (8 oz.) blackberries
- Pierce the lamb several times with a small knife then put into a large plastic bag. Mix the oil, honey, garlic, allspice, paprika, peppercorns and a little salt in a small bowl then add to the lamb. Seal the bag then turn the bag several times to coat the lamb all over with the spice mix. Leave to marinade for 30 minutes or longer if you have time.
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F), Gas mark 7. Preheat a ridged frying pan with a metal handle on the hob. Take the lamb out of the bag, draining off the excess marinade and add to the hot frying pan, fry for 5 minutes turning once until browned on both sides.Transfer the pan with the lamb to the hot oven and roast for 20 minutes for medium or 25-30 minutes for well done. Take out of the oven and leave to rest for 10 minutes covered with foil.
- Meanwhile make the blackberry confit by heating the oil in a saucepan, add the onion and fry for 10 minutes over a low heat until softened and just beginning to brown. Add the remaining marinade from the plastic bag, the red wine and blackberries and simmer for 5-10 minutes until thick and the onions are soft.
- Carve the lamb into thin slices, spoon over the meat juices from the frying pan, serve with the confit in a bowl and accompanied with parsnip mash and steamed green beans.
Tip
If you don’t have a
frying pan with a metal handle then transfer the browned lamb to a roasting tin
when it goes into the oven.
