Roast Baron of Lamb

Roast Baron of Lamb

Serves 12-14

Ingredients:

4 kg baron of lamb, without loins
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp chopped mint
6 spring onions, trimmed to bulbs
4 small carrots, sliced
2 small lemons, peeled and sliced
60 gr butter, melted
375 ml dry white wine
20 ml lemon juice

Garnish :

Sauteed Potatoes
1 large lemon
40 gr butter
3 teaspoons sugar
25 spring onions, trimmed

1. Order the baron of lamb, without loins, from your butcher and have him remove rump knuckle and leg bone from each leg, leaving the tail and shanks intact.

2. Lay the double legs, skin side down on a board, open out and sprinkle with salt, pepper and mint. Place half the spring onions, sliced carrots and lemon slices in each cavity, close firmly and secure with skewers.

3. Brush the meat with melted butter, place in a large baking pan and cook in a very hot oven for 15 minutes to seal and brown.

4. Reduce heat to moderate and cook for 1¾ hours, pour off all but 3 tbsps of fat from the pan, then drizzle wine and lemon juice over the meat and continue cooking for a further 30 minutes for rare, 45 minutes for well done, basting 2-3 times.

5. Lift out the meat to a serving dish and allow to rest for 10 minutes to set the meat, but keep warm. Stir and scrape the pan to deglaze, then put pan juices through a fine sieve into a sauce boat and keep warm.

6. Meanwhile, for the garnish, prepare and cook potatoes, place in a heated dish and keep warm. Peel the rind, without pith from the lemon and cut into thin strips, melt half the butter in a pan, add sugar and cook, stirring for ±4 minutes for a syrup. Add lemon rind and sauté for ±4 minutes until golden, lift out and drain on kitchen paper.

7. Add remaining butter to the pan with spring onions, stir, cover and cook over low heat for ±10 minutes, then lift out, place around the lamb and strew lemon rind on top. Discard any pith from the peeled lemon and cut into very thin slices, arrange slices over the meat and take meat and potatoes to the table.