© David Loftus

best roast leg of lamb

method

This is a British classic everyone loves, especially at Easter. It's easy to make and is so tasty...

Serves 6


Preheat the oven to 200ēC/400ēC/gas 6 and place a roasting dish for the potatoes on the bottom.

Mix the crushed garlic, chopped rosemary, lemon zest and olive oil together. Season the lamb with salt and pepper and rub the marinade into it. Place on the hot bars of the oven above the tray.

Boil the potatoes, simmer for 10 minutes and scuff the edges. Add the rosemary sprigs and whole garlic cloves, season with salt and pepper and drizzle over a good glug of olive oil. Tip the potatoes into the tray and place under the lamb to catch all the lovely juices.

To make the mint sauce, mix the chopped mint, sugar, salt, hot water and wine vinegar.

Cook the lamb for about an hour and 15 minutes if you want it pink, or an hour and a half if you want it more well done. Take it out of the oven and cover with tinfoil and leave for 15 minutes before serving. Carve and serve with the potatoes and mint sauce.

Tip: Try putting a few parsnips or carrots in with the roast potatoes.

serves: 6

ingredients

• 1 bulb of garlic, 3 cloves peeled and crushed, the others left whole
• a small bunch of fresh rosemary, half the leaves removed and coarsely chopped, half in sprigs
• zest of 1 lemon
• olive oil
• 2kg leg of lamb
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1.5kg potatoes, peeled and cut in half
• 4 tablespoons chopped, fresh mint leaves
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 pinches of salt
• 1 tablespoon hot water
• 3 tablespoons wine vinegar