Aussie Roast Lamb

Method

1. Take the lamb out of the fridge 30 minutes before roasting; roasted straight from cold, it browns outside while the centre stays raw. Preheat the oven to 200 °C for 15 min.

   oven

2. Pat the lamb dry and make 8–10 small cuts about 2 cm deep all over it with a small knife. Thinly slice the garlic and push a slice and a few rosemary needles into each cut. Rub with olive oil, then season all over with salt and pepper.

   Add in this stepBoneless lamb leg roast (a lamb rump for 1–2 servings) 500 gGarlic cloves 3Rosemary sprigs 2Extra virgin olive oil ¾ tbspSalt 0.6 tspBlack pepper ¼ tsp

3. Peel the potatoes, cut them into 4–5 cm chunks and put them in a pot of cold salted water. Bring to the boil on high heat and cook for 7 min once boiling, until just soft at the edges. Drain, put the lid on and shake the pot a few times to rough up the surfaces: that is what makes them really crunchy in the oven.

   Add in this stepFloury potatoes 400 gSalt ¼ tsp

   high heat

4. Put the lamb in a 22×18 cm roasting tin. Cut the pumpkin, skin on, into 4 cm pieces, toss with the potatoes, olive oil, salt and pepper and spread in one layer on a separate baking tray. Roast both in the oven for 35 min, turning the vegetables once. A thermometer in the thickest part of the lamb should read 55–57 °C for medium-rare or 60–63 °C for medium.

   Add in this stepButternut pumpkin (squash) 300 gExtra virgin olive oil 1¼ tbspSalt 0.4 tspBlack pepper ¼ tsp

   oven

5. While it roasts, make the mint sauce: chop the mint leaves finely together with the sugar (the sugar helps the knife grip), put them in a bowl, pour on the boiling water to dissolve the sugar and stir in the vinegar. Leave it at least 10 minutes for the flavours to blend.

   Add in this stepFresh mint leaves 10 gSugar (for the mint sauce) 2 tspBoiling water (for the mint sauce) 2 tbspMalt vinegar (or cider vinegar) 3 tbsp

6. Move the lamb to a board, cover it loosely with foil and rest it for 15 min. Its centre rises another 2–3 °C and the juices settle. Meanwhile, turn the oven up to 220 °C and give the vegetables the same time again until golden and crisp.

   oven

7. Gravy: pour off all but 1 tbsp of fat from the lamb tin (if your tin can't go on the hob, tip the juices into a small saucepan), set it on medium heat, add the flour and stir for 1 min. Gradually whisk in the stock and any juices from the board, scraping up the browned bits, and simmer for 3 min until thickened. Season to taste. The tin handles are very hot, so use oven gloves.

   Add in this stepPlain flour 1½ tbspBeef stock 250 ml

   medium heat

8. Slice the lamb 1 cm thick across the grain and serve with the roast vegetables, gravy and mint sauce.