Butterflied Leg of Lamb
This is a delicious dish and a particularly good way to serve spring lamb. To 'butterfly' a leg of lamb means to cut out the bone and open out the meat flat and wide. This allows the lamb to cook quicker. It is easy to carve and the wonderful marinade gives great flavour to the lamb.
Ingredients
- You will need:
- Leg of lamb, butterflied (approx 1.8kg/4lb weight of the prepared meat). Ask your butcher for this.
- 'Marinade':
- 4 table spoons of Goodall's olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (rind)
- 1/2 teaspoon French mustard
- 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon Goodall's coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon Goodall's thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon Goodall's rosemary
- Goodall's salt and Goodall's ground black pepper
Method
Place lamb, skin side down, opened out on a wide tin. The surface of the joint will be lumpy and uneven. If some of the lumps of meat are much larger than the othrs they can be slit and opened out.
Mix all the ingredients of the marinade together and spoon over the lamb. Cover and leave in a cool place (not the fridge) for at least an hour.
Preheat the over to 200°C, 400°F, gas 6. Leave the marinade on the lamb and cover loosely with a piece of foil and roast; allowing about 15 minutes for every extra 450g (1 lb) of lamb being cooked plus and extra 15 minutes. About 1-11/2 hours in total.
For the last 20 minutes of the cooking time remove the foil to allow browning. Remove from over and allow to stand for 15 minutes before carving.
To serve:
Simply slice the cooked lamb like a loaf of bread - cutting slices diagonally instead of straight down, to make them look a little larger. Serve with boiled baby potatoes and salad.
Brenda’s Top Tip:
Grilled finish: If the top of the lamb is not crusty enough for you place the whole tin underneath the grill for a few minutes.
Barbecue Finish: When oven-roasted meat is just ready, transfer to a hot barbecue for a final browning and to acquire that tasty barbecued flavour!