The history of the Easter Sunday roast Lamb goes back to the biblical Passover of the Jewish people. A sacrificial lamb was roasted and eaten with unleavened bread and herbs in the hope that the angel of God would "pass over" their home and bring no harm. Christians often refer to Jesus as The Lamb of God and as religions merged, lamb became the traditional meat for Easter Sunday.
Easter Sunday Roast Lamb with Fresh Mint Sauce
1 Leg of Lamb off the bone (about 4lb feeds 8 people)
6 cloves of fresh Garlic
1 bunch of Rosemary
50g Butter
Freshly ground Pepper & Salt
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. Place the Leg of Lamb on a roasting tray.
Score the leg of lamb with a sharp knife making 1/2" deep incisions and push the garlic cloves and sprigs of rosemary into the cuts in the meat. Rub the butter all over the leg and sprinkle liberally with freshly ground pepper and salt.
Cook the lamb for about 1 hour 20 minutes, turning it over half way through and spoon the juices over the meat every half hour. 20 minutes per pound will give you a medium cooked meat - adjust the timing to your own taste.
Transfer the meat to another tray and cover with a clean dish cloth, to rest for 10 minutes, before you cut it. This allows all the muscle to relax and makes the meat really juicy and tender.
Roast Gravy
To make the gravy, place the roasting tray on top of the stove over a moderate heat, use a scraper to lift all the tasty residues off the bottom of the tray and let the juices caramelise a little for about 1 minute. Spoon off any excess fat and add a pint of cold water. Bring this to the boil and let it reduce down by half. Strain the meat juices into a small pan.
Thicken the gravy with a simple roux. This is made by pouring 2 tbls of olive oil into a cup and adding 2 tbls flour and stirring this together into a paste. Whisk a little roux into your hot juices. It will thicken immediately. Let it cook out for another minute.
Fresh Mint Sauce
50g finely chopped fresh Mint
2 tablespoons white Sugar
2 tablespoons Vinegar
75ml Water
3 tbsp freshly squeezed Lemon juice
Combine the water, sugar, vinegar & lemon juice in a small pot and bring back to the boil. Cook for 1 minute until the liquid thickens slightly and then add the chopped mint. Turn off the heat and pour it into a serving jug and refrigerate until required.
Roasted Vegetables
1 lb Each of carrots, parsnips & white turnip, peeled and chopped into 1" chunks
2 red onions, peeled and cut into eight
Olive oil
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Put the vegetables in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss about to coat them. Transfer them to a roasting tin and spread out into a single layer. Cook for 20-30 minutes until tender.
Champ Potatoes
Add some chopped scallions, salt, a little white pepper and some butter to your mashed potatoes to make Champ Potatoes to serve with your Roast Lamb.
Enjoy & Happy Easter!
Zack
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