Ofp
I’d never thought about a cheese stuffing for lamb before. So when I read Diana Henry recipe I was inspired to try it. As she recalls: Italian ingredients, Greek-inspired.
Ingredients. Serves 6
120g pecorino cheese, finely grated
6 garlic cloves, finely grated
3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
Leaves from a small bunch of basil, plus more to serve
1.8kg leg of lamb
2 medium red onions, cut into wedges
600g small waxy potatoes, scrubbed, then halved or quartered, depending on size
350g red and yellow tomatoes, halved or quartered
250ml white wine
Method
Preheat the oven to 230C/220C fan/Gas 8.
Put the cheese, garlic and some salt into a mortar and pound to a rough purée, gradually adding the olive oil. Tear the basil leaves, add them to the mortar and pound them.
Place the leg of lamb in a roasting tin. Make deep incisions all over it and push the paste from the mortar down into them. You can also loosen the meat around the bone to make a pocket and push the paste into that, too. Season all over and put into the oven.
Roast for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 190C/180C fan/Gas 5.
Add the onions, potatoes and tomatoes to the roasting tin, toss them in the fat in the pan, adding a little more oil if it’s needed to moisten them, then season and roast for a final 45 minutes, adding the wine after 20 minutes.
The lamb will be pink. If you prefer it more well done, cook it for a little longer.
Remove the lamb to a plate, cover with foil, insulate well (I use old towels or tea towels) and leave to rest for 15 minutes.
If the potatoes are tender, cover them and keep warm in a low oven while the lamb rests; if they’re still a bit firm, increase the oven temperature to 210C/200C fan/Gas 6½, return the vegetables to the oven, uncovered, and cook until they’re ready.
Serve the lamb with the potatoes, tomatoes and onions, scattered with a few basil leaves, if you like.
Original recipe: ” from oven to table” Diana Henry…….. again
Leave a Comment