Summer leg of lamb with roasted stuffed tomatoes and butter beans

Summer lamb leg

Serves

Prep Time

45 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

Here the leg of lamb has been tunnel boned, but the shank has been left intact. Often referred to as a 'carvery cut', this makes for easy carving once cooked. Baked tomatoes are really delicious and possibly an underrated accompaniment to lamb. If you are short on a colourful vegetable to have for dinner, pop these in the oven.

This recipe is from Kathy Paterson's cookbook, 'Meat & Three'.

Kathy Paterson

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Ingredients

Lamb

1.5 kg Quality Mark lamb legi
tunnel boned with shank intact
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary
pinch sea salt
to taste
pinch black pepper
to taste

Stuffed tomatoes

8 vine tomatoesi
ripe but still firm
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion
finely chopped
1 garlic clove
finely chopped
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
a handful flat-leaf parsley
finely chopped
1 red capsicum
roasted, skinned, flesh cut into small pieces
pinch sea salt
to taste
pinch black pepper
to taste
80g goats cheese

Lamb gravy

2 Tbsp white flour
a splash red wine
can also substitute for white wine
500ml beef stocki
pinch sea salt
to taste
pinch black pepper
to taste

To serve

800g butter beans

Method

The lamb

Preheat the oven to 230°C.

Place the herbs in the cavity left from removing the bone, then tie with about three pieces of kitchen string at even intervals to hold the lamb in shape. Place in a roasting dish, season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and drizzle with the olive oil.

Place in the oven and roast for 20 minutes.

Lower the temperature to 200°C and roast for a further 40 minutes for lamb that is still a little pink in the centre.

To roast capsicum

To roast capsicum, preheat the oven to 220°C.

Remove the core and seeds from the capsicum and place in a shallow roasting tin.

Roast in the oven until the skin is well blistered, turning once or twice.

Remove from the oven, place in a bowl, cover and allow to cool. The skin will steam away from the flesh so you can peel it off. Discard the skin.

Alternatively, roast on a hot barbecue or under a hot grill.

The stuffed tomatoes

Line a shallow roasting tin with baking paper.

Using a sharp knife, cut about 1cm off the bottom of each tomato, so they will sit flat. Dice the cut tomato ends and set aside.

Use a teaspoon to remove the seeds and most of the flesh from the inside of each tomato. Any flesh can be roughly diced and set aside. Place the hollowed out tomatoes in the roasting tin.

Place the oil in a small frying pan and heat over low heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook gently until the onion is soft – about 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and place in a bowl with the breadcrumbs, chopped parsley, diced tomato and capsicum.

Season and mix to combine.

Divide the goats' cheese and place a piece in the base of each tomato.

Fill with the breadcrumb mixture, mounding the top.

Place in the oven with the lamb and cook for 20-30 minutes until the tomatoes are tender but not collapsing.

The gravy

Remove the lamb from the oven and place on a warmed meat plate.

Cover loosely with foil and a clean tea towel and leave to rest for 10 minutes. Keep the tomatoes warm.

Pour off the fat from the roasting tin, leaving about 2 tablespoons.

Add the flour and place the roasting tin on the stovetop over medium heat. Stir with a wooden spoon until the flour begins to colour.

Add a splash of wine and the stock or water and simmer until the gravy is lightly thickened, stirring continuously.