Eunice Power’s Roast Leg of Lamb Recipe

(with Lemon and Rosemary, Roasted New Potatoes with Rosemary and Red Currant Jus)

When buying your leg of Lamb find out whether it was reared inside or outside. Lamb reared in a field (such as Comeragh Mountain Lamb) will generally have much better flavour.

Ingredients (Serves 6)

  • 4 sprigs rosemary
  • 1 lemon
  • 5 tablespoons of Olive Oil
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1.7-2kg leg of lamb
  • 8 cloves garlic (unpeeled)
  • 1.2kg new potatoes, scrubbed
  • Jus
  • 150ml red wine
  • 2 tbsp. redcurrant jelly
  • 300ml beef or lamb stock

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 230C/gas 8.
  2. Strip the leaves from half the rosemary and chop. Grate the lemon’s zest. Mix both into the Olive oil. Season the lamb, smear with the olive oil and put in a roasting tin large enough to take the lamb and the potatoes.
  3. Roast for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven to 200°C/Gas 6, baste the lamb and roast for 15 minutes per 500g for medium-rare, 20 minutes for medium and 25 minutes for well done. Forty-five minutes before the end of cooking, put the potatoes, remaining rosemary and garlic around the lamb, basting them with the juices. Sprinkle with salt. Quarter the zested lemon and add this, too.
  4. When the lamb is cooked, transfer to a warm dish with the potatoes and leave to rest for 10 minutes in a warm place while you make the gravy.
  5. Remove the rosemary and lemon from the roasting tin. Skim all but 3-tbsp. fat from the tin. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins into the tin. Put the tin over a low heat and add the wine and deglaze the tin, stirring to make sure all the crisp, caramelised bits are mixed into the wine. Once the wine is bubbling, stir in the redcurrant jelly. Stir until melted then add the stock. Cook over a medium heat for 10-15 minutes until bubbling and slightly thickened. Strain into a warmed jug and serve.

Recipe Courtesy of Eunice Power www.eunicepower.com