Ultimate leg of lamb

Tasty leg of lamb with thyme and garlic

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Serves

8 - 10

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

2 hrs 45 mins

A roast leg of lamb has long been hailed as the ultimate Kiwi favourite, and this recipe requires zero fuss as the oven does the hard work. Infused with flavours of garlic and thyme and topped with a creamy meat sauce, you won't be disappointed. We served the lamb on a thick bed of thyme for that perfect festive touch.

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Ingredients

Lamb
  • 2-2.5kg Quality Mark lamb leg

  • 50g butter

    softened
  • 3 garlic cloves

    crushed
  • 1-2 sprigs fresh thyme

  • 2 onions

    sliced
  • 1/2 cup olive oil

Meat sauce
  • 1 cup beef stock

  • 3/4 cup crème fraîche i

  • grated zest of 1 lemon

  • 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar

  • 1 bay leaf

To serve
  • new potatoes

  • baby carrots

  • snow peas

Method

To roast lamb
1

Use a sharp knife to make shallow slits in the lamb flesh (4-5).

2

Mix together the butter, garlic and chopped thyme.

3

Push butter mixture into the slits and sprinkle lamb with flaky salt and freshly ground black pepper.

4

Place the thyme sprigs and sliced onion in the base of a roasting tin and sit lamb on top.

5

Drizzle over the olive oil.

6

Place in the oven and roast for 2¾ hours at 160 degrees Celsius.

To make meat sauce
1

Remove the lamb from the oven half an hour before the end of cooking time.

2

Place lamb on a board, then tip all the juices into a saucepan.

3

Replace lamb back into the roasting tin and return to the oven to finish roasting.

4

Remove from the oven and leave to rest, covered loosely with foil and a tea towel for at least 10 minutes before carving.

5

Skim the fat off the roasting juices in the saucepan.

6

Add the beef stock to the remaining juices and bring to the boil.

7

Reduce heat and add the crème fraiche or sour cream, lemon zest, vinegar and bay leaf.

8

Simmer until the sauce reduces a little ( it will be a thin sauce).

9

Season with salt to counteract acidity.

10

Strain sauce into a jug or gravy boat and serve hot with the lamb and vegetables.

Nutrition Information per Serving (300g)

This nutrition analysis is based on 10 serves and does not include potatoes or vegetables to serve.

Energy1920kJ (459 kcal)
Protein43.1g
Total Fat30.6g
Saturated Fat11.8g
Carbohydrate2.8g
Dietary Fibre1.1g
Sodium163mg
Iron3.5mg
Zinc6.7mg
Vitamin B122.8µg