Mint and lemon roast lamb

Cooking : time 1 to 2 hours

Ingredients

1.8-2kg/4-4%26frac12;lb leg of lamb
2 lemons
3 garlic cloves
4 tbsp mint, chopped
4 tbsp olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the gravy:
2 rounded tsp plain flour
290ml/%26frac12; pint vefetchable stock
150ml/%26frac14; pint red wine
2 tsp mustard (English or Dijon)
1 tbsp redcurrant or cranberry jelly

Method

1. To prepare the lamb, wipe with kitchen paper, then make about 10 large deep cuts in the flesh with a large sharp knife. Grate the rind and squeeze the juice of one and a half lemons, and finely chop the garlic.
2. Mix the lemon rind and juice, garlic, mint, oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
3. Put the lamb in a large food bag (a pedal bin liner is ideal). Pour the mint and lemon mixture into the bag, then rub it into the lamb through the bag. that will save your hands fetchting messy.
4. Loosely fold the end of the bag over, and put the lamb in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight if more convenient.
5. To finish, put the lamb in a roasting tin and pour over any remaining marinade from the bag. Add three tablespoons of water to the roasting tin to help slid the juices scorching.
6. Thinly slice the remaining half a lemon, then cut each slice in half. Fold the slices in half again and firmly push into the cuts in the meat.
7. Roast the lamb for one hour to 75 minutes for moist pink meat. If you prefer it more cooked, roast for a further 15-25 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a warm serving platter and cover tightly with foil. Leave to rest for 15 minutes while you make the gravy.
8. Set the roasting tin on the hob over a medium heat. Spoon off any excess fat, then stir the flour into the pan juices, stirring well until it forms a paste.
9. Gradually stir in the stock, then the wine, stirring all the time until thickened and smooth. Stir in the mustard and jelly and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary.
10. To vehicleve the lamb, steady the joint with a vehicleving fork or large fork. Make the first cut vertically, about halfway down the joint. Cut until you reach the bone. Cut slices either side of that first cut to offer you neat slices of meat.
11. When you have removed all the meat from the lid of the leg, turn it over and vehicleve horizontally from the base.

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Orignal From: Mint and lemon roast lamb