
A classic Sunday lunch, with no fuss and masses of flavour – perfect family meal!
It’s summer and the peak of Irish Lamb season, and our Irish grass fed lambs deserve a proper mint sauce, so here it is!
Ingredients
- 2 kg leg of lamb on the bone
- 1 bulb of garlic
- ½ a bunch of fresh rosemary
- 1.5 kg potatoes
- 1 lemon
- olive oil
For the mint sauce
- 1 bunch of fresh mint
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3 tablespoons wine vinegar
Method
- Remove the lamb from the fridge 1 hour before you want to cook it, to let it come up to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºC/gas 6 and place a roasting dish for the potatoes on the bottom.
- Break the garlic bulb up into cloves, then peel 3, leaving the rest whole. Pick and roughly chop half the rosemary leaves. Peel and halve the potatoes.
- Crush the peeled garlic into a bowl, add the chopped rosemary, finely grate in the lemon zest and drizzle in a good lug of oil, then mix together.
- Season the lamb with sea salt and black pepper, then drizzle with the marinade and rub all over the meat.
- Place on the hot bars of the oven above the tray.
- Parboil the potatoes in a pan of boiling salted water for 10 minutes, then drain and allow to steam dry.
- Gently toss the potatoes in the colander to scuff up the edges, then tip back into the pan.
- Add the remaining rosemary sprigs and whole garlic cloves to the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, then drizzle over a good lug of oil. Tip the potatoes into the hot tray and place back under the lamb to catch all the lovely juices.
- Cook the lamb for 1 hour 15 minutes if you want it pink, or 1 hour 30 minutes if you like it more well done.
- Meanwhile, make the mint sauce. Pick and finely chop the mint leaves, then place in a small bowl. Mix in the sugar, a good pinch of salt, 1 tablespoon of hot water and the vinegar.
- When the lamb is cooked to your liking, remove from the oven and leave to rest for 15 minutes or so.
- Carve and serve with the roast potatoes, mint sauce and some seasonal greens.
Tip: Try putting a few parsnips, courgettes or carrots in with the roast potatoes for a nice splash of colour and some more of your 5 a day!
Serve with a nice glass of your favourite red or a local Stout – and don’t forget to share your photos & tag us!
For more recipes and tips, check my Butchers Block page!
Hugh
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