Month: November 2015

Serve with Potatoes roasted in duck fat.
Serves 4

Serves 4 with leftovers

For the lamb:
approx. 1 k/2 lbs leg of lamb, deboned* and butterflied — do it yourself or ask your butcher to do it but make sure you keep the bones and any off-cuts for making the lamb stock.

*Deboning it yourself:
When you put the leg, meatier side down on a large chopping board, it is easy to locate the bone. With a sharp knife, cut along the length of the bone through the thin flesh right onto the bone, then work your knife vertically along and around the bone whilst pushing as much meat as possible away from the bone. Do this all round the bone until you can lift the bone free. There are numerous instructing videos showing exactly how to do this and soon you will be able to master this seemingly daunting task. Otherwise simply ask you butcher to do it for you.

For the sauce:
750 ml lamb stock
1 medium size carrot, chopped
1 medium size onion, chopped
1 stick celery, chopped
5 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons tomato puree
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with cold water to form a thick slurry.

• The secret for making an even roll is to get the thickness of the surface of the meat as even as possible.
• Use a piece of cling film, place it over the meat and bash the thicker parts of the surface with a mallet to flatten it.
• To be able to make a neat roll, cut off the uneven ends so that you have a neat rectangular piece.  Do not discard the off-cuts.
• Open up the meat, “skin”-side down, sprinkle the vinegar over the surface and rub in the rosemary, garlic and salt mixture.
• Sprinkle some salt over the off-cuts and place them close to the end of the meat where you would start rolling.
• Now start rolling from any end depending on how thick you want your roll.
• If you start rolling from the long side of the rectangle, you will have a thinner roll and vice versa.
• Roll it as tight as possible (using skewers to keep the shape if you need to).
• Once you have completed the roll and tucked in all the loose bits (if any), tie the meat with butcher’s twine to keep it together.  (Learn to make a butchers knot https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcgMtjtkeSg)
• Cover the meat and refrigerate until ready to cook. Remove from the refrigerator at least one hour before cooking.
• Rub olive oil all over the surface, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Heat the barbecue to 200°C/400°F then place the roll on the grid. Close the cooker and cook for an initial period of 20 minutes (depending on the thickness for medium rare in the middle) turning the roll every five minutes until cooked.
• Remove from the heat and let it rest for at least 10 minutes.
• Check the internal temperature of the lamb just before the estimated cooking time is up.
• For the juiciest result, remove the meat from the heat just short of the temperature goal as the internal temperature of the meat can rise a bit more as it rests.

A meat thermometer is the easiest and most accurate way to tell if a roast or steak is ready. When your meat is done (be it a steak or a roast), the internal temperature of the meat will be:
Rare 60ºC
Medium rare 60-65ºC
Medium 65-70ºC
Medium well done 70ºC
Well done 75ºC

• To cook the sauce, heat the oil in a saucepan and add the carrot, onion, celery, garlic and rosemary and lightly sauté for 5 minutes over medium heat.
• Deglaze with the vinegar and as soon as the vinegar has evaporated, add the stock and tomato puree.
• Reduce the stock by half, then gradually stir in the cornstarch slurry.  Keep stirring until the sauce has thickened.  (You may not need all the cornstarch.)
• Strain the sauce and set aside in a warm place. After the meat has rested, pour the juices that was released from the lamb back into the sauce.  Reheat for serving.
• To serve, slice the meat in the desired thickness and serve with Potatoes roasted in duck fat (see recipe below) and Mixed vegetables with beetroot gel.
• Pour the sauce over the meat and reserve extra to be served at the table.

For the potatoes roasted in duck fat:
1.5 kg/3 lbs floury potatoes, cut into 3 pieces, depending on size
1 cup/250 ml duck fat
Maldon sea salt
2 tablespoons/30 ml rosemary needles

• Preheat the oven to 180°C.
• Place the potatoes in a saucepan of cold salted water and bring to the boil. Cook until halfway done (some resistance when pierced with a pointed knife).
• Drain, then return to the pan and shake well over medium heat to dry out and rough up the edges.  This is necessary to obtain the crispy edges.
• Place the duck fat in a roasting pan, then heat for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, carefully add the potatoes to the duck fat and spoon over some of the fat.
• Sprinkle over the Maldon sea salt and rosemary, then return to the oven and roast, turning twice, for 45 minutes or until golden and crispy.
• Serve immediately.