Easter falls early this year, so with this in mind Newcastle butcher George Payne is serving up a twist on the traditional Sunday roast lamb leg or shoulder joint with a zesty glaze and a classic mint sauce. His recipe is courtesy of the national Butchers Q Guild, of which George Payne Butcher is a founder member.
Roast lamb with mint sauce
Author: George Payne
Serves: 6
Ingredients
- 1.3kg lean lamb leg, shoulder or half shoulder joint
- salt and freshly milled black pepper
- grated zest of 1 lemon
- 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and sliced lengthways
- 2 large sprigs rosemary
- 1tbsp olive oil
- 3tbsp lemon marmalade, melted
- For the mint sauce
- 30g fresh mint leaves, stalks removed
- 2 tbsp light muscovado sugar
- 150ml boiling water
- 150ml white wine vinegar
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4.
- Make slits on both sides of the joint and season. In a small bowl, mix together the lemon zest, garlic, rosemary leaves and oil.
- Stuff the mixture into the slits, brush with the remaining mixture, place joint on a rack in a large non-stick roasting tin and cover with foil.
- Roast (medium: 25 mins per 450g +25 mins; well done - 30 mins per 450g + 30 mins).
- mins before the end of cooking remove the foil.
- -15 mins before the end of cooking, glaze the joint with the lemon marmalade.
- For the mint sauce, pound the mint leaves and sugar into a rough paste in a pestle and mortar.
- Add the boiling water and leave to infuse for 5-10 mins.
- Allow to cool and stir in the vinegar.
- Serve with seasonal veg and gravy made with homemade lamb stock and fat from the roasting tin.
