So you’ve got your gaggle of friends and family coming over for a special dinner, you have a massive leg of lamb sitting patiently in the fridge, but what to do with it? Well, if you get the meat right and you’re halfway there! This Roast Lamb with Rosemary and Anchovies recipe is foolproof and will have your family and friends begging for more.
I did this Roast Lamb with Rosemary and Anchovies recipe on Friday, and it was cooked in less than half an hour! And just in case you are wondering about the anchovies, don’t worry, you won’t taste a hint of fish. These add delicious flavour and seasoning to the meat.
Roast Lamb With Rosemary and Anchovies
Print RecipeIngredients
- Approximately 2 kilograms of lamb leg
- 4 cloves of garlic, sliced
- 8 anchovies, in olive oil, halved
- A few sprigs of rosemary and thyme
- 2 fennel bulbs
- 1 kilogram of large charlotte potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 300 grams of midi vine-ripened tomatoes, halved
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 200 degree Celsius, gas at 6, and fan at 180 degree Celsius. Place the lamb on the board and make about 15 small incisions all over with a sharp knife. Tuck a slice of garlic, ½ an anchovy and a sprig of rosemary into each slit. Push them in well with your finger so that all the flavours melt into the flesh rather than burning on top. Season all over.
- Put in a roomy roasting tray and into the oven to roast for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, boil the potatoes and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Drain and scruff up the edges a bit. Slice the fennel in half and into wedges. Take out the lamb and scatter the potatoes and fennel around the joint. Drizzle some olive oil, pour over the lemon juice, season and put back in the oven for another 45 minutes.
- Remove it from the oven and spread out the tomatoes. Add some extra rosemary, thyme and lemon zest around the lamb. Stir the vegetables a bit and pop the tray back in for another 15 minutes. The lamb will take around 1 hour and 15 to cook, but adding the veg in stages means that all the elements cook perfectly.
- Allow the joint to rest, covered with foil for 20 minutes or so. Carve the lamb and arrange on a serving platter serve on top of the vegetables.
