Roast Spring Lamb With Rosé Wine Oranges Recipes

PERFECT ROAST LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/gas 7. Roughly chop the celery, carrots and onions, throwing into a large roasting tray as you go, with the bay leaves.
• With a sharp, pointed knife, follow the lamb bone down about 10cm to 12cm (you are just making a 'tunnel' where you are cutting the meat away from the bone). Do this from the top end and the bottom end. Pierce the skin at an angle with a sharp pointed knife 6 or 8 times at random around the leg, then open up the incisions by poking your fingers down them to make a bit of space. Rub the lamb all over with olive oil, sea salt and black pepper.
• Strip the leaves off the rosemary sprigs and peel and finely slice the garlic, then toss in a little drizzle of olive oil and a splash of red wine vinegar. Push a little rosemary, a couple of slices of garlic and an anchovy fillet (if using) into each hole, adding any leftovers and a good splash of water to the trivet tray with the veg.
• Place the lamb directly on the bars of the middle shelf of the oven, and place the tray on the shelf beneath. Turn the oven down to 180°C/350°F/gas 4 and cook to your liking (see timings below).

ROAST LAMB WITH SPRING HERB CRUMBS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. For the lamb, scatter the vegetables, bay leaves and a few rosemary sprigs into a large roasting tin and drizzle with the olive oil. Use a sharp knife to make little slits all over the lamb. Poke a slice of garlic and a small sprig of rosemary into each one. Sit the lamb on top of the veg in the roasting tin, add a splash of wine, then cook for 2 hrs if you like it pink, or 2 hrs 15 mins for cooked through. Remove from the oven, transfer to a board and cover with foil, then rest for 45 mins-1 hr.
• To make the gravy, pour off most of the fat from the tin but leave the veg and any meat juices. Place the tin on the heat to caramelise the veg, then stir in the flour and cook to a paste. Gradually stir in the wine, cook for a min, then stir in the stock and simmer until you have a tasty gravy. Push the gravy through a sieve into a small pan and keep warm.
• Turn oven up to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. For the crumbs, blitz everything in a food processor and scatter over a tray. Bake in the oven for 10-15 mins until crisp, then re-blitz or break up with your fingers to crumbs again. These can be made in advance and kept in an airtight container for 2 days. Serve the lamb carved into slices, sprinkled with crumbs and a jug of gravy alongside.

ROAST LEG OF LAMB WITH ORANGE, ROSEMARY AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450°F.
• Rinse the lamb and pat dry with kitchen towels.
• Peel the orange layer of rind from the orange, into strips about 2cm by 1cm.
• Cut a few of the garlic cloves lengthways into batons about 2mm across.
• Take a strip of orange peel, wrap it around a couple of the garlic batons and a few rosemary leaves. With a very sharp knife, make a deep whole in the lamb and push the parcel into the meat, deep enough so that you can't see it. (Don't be afraid here - the deeper it goes, the more the flavours will infuse).
• Repeat all over the lamb until you've used all the orange peel. Don't forget the underneath.
• Allow to rest for about an hour.
• With the flat of a knife, bash the remaining garlic cloves (unpeeled) and place them in the bottom of a roasting tray. Lay the remaining rosemary sprigs on top, then lay the lamb on these.
• Cut the orange in half and squeeze the juices and flesh over the lamb, rubbing it in, and add the extra orange juice to the pan.
• Pour over a good glug of olive oil, and season well with salt.
• Place, uncovered, in the oven and cook for 20mins.
• Reduce the temperature to about 350F and put a temperature probe into the thickest part of the lamb.
• Check occasionally and, if required, add a little water to the pan.
• Once the internal temperature reaches 130F, remove the lamb from the oven, put on a warmed plate and cover well, with foil and *plenty* of tea towels. Set aside.
• Put the roasting tray on the hob, over a medium heat, and add the red wine and stock cube. You may need to add more water here, depending on how much has evaporated in the oven.
• Reduce until thickened to a gravy consistency. Serve over your lamb, accompanied with roast potatoes and mint sauce.

LAMB STEW WITH ORANGE

Steps:

• Heat oil in an 8-quart Dutch oven or other large pot over high heat until hot but not smoking. Season meat lightly with salt and pepper and sear in oil until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add onions and garlic and cook an additional 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir to incorporate, cooking for 2 to 3 minutes. Add celery, carrots, parsnips, chick peas, wine, chicken broth, tomato sauce, orange zest, segments and juice, and cumin. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer until lamb is tender, about 90 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat, cool slightly, and ladle into bowls. Top with fresh mint and serve.

LAMB SHANKS BRAISED WITH ANISE AND ORANGE

Steps:

• Finely grind star anise in spice grinder or in mortar with pestle. Rub half of ground star anise over lamb shanks. Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add lamb to pot; brown on all sides, about 12 minutes per batch. Transfer lamb to bowl. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pot; add onions, celery, carrots and garlic and sauté until golden, about 10 minutes. Return lamb to pot. Add all stock, orange juice, peel and remaining star anise. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until lamb is tender, about 1 hour 45 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm over medium heat before continuing.)
• Transfer lamb to large bowl. Cover with foil. Working in batches, transfer cooking liquid and vegetables to processor; puree until smooth. Return liquid to pot. Boil until liquid is reduced to 6 cups, about 20 minutes. Mix in honey. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over lamb and serve.