How to Cook the Perfect Easter Roast Lamb [AD]

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This Easter I was asked whether my family would try out a New Zealand lamb recipe. As lamb is by far my most favourite meat, and Easter is a special day, I was more than happy to agree.

I wasn’t sure how the boys would take to a different way of cooking the vegetables but they ate them all. Everyone really enjoyed the lamb and I felt that the vegetables had more flavour than ever (if I am honest I usually tend to just boil the goodness out of them!) I also did not feel the need to add anything else to my meal (I usually drowned my dinner in gravy). It was so delicious that I am more than happy to share the recipe below:

Ingredients For Easter Roast Lamb

• A half shoulder or half leg of New Zealand lamb (thawed from frozen or chilled)
• 450g potatoes, roughly chopped
• 250g chantenay carrots
• 350g squash, peeled, seeds removed and cut into chunks
• 2 red onions, peeled and cut into wedges
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (I opted for Fry light Extra Olive Oil Spray instead)
• 1 garlic bulb, cloves separated but still in their skin
• zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tsp fennel seeds
• a few sprigs of rosemary
• 150ml white wine
• 1 tbsp warm water
• Foil
• Seasoning

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, 400°F, Gas 6.
2. Blanch* potatoes for 5 minutes. (*As I was unaware of what this meant I shall explain that it means to boil the water first and then put the potatoes in. After the 5 minutes take them out and submerse them in cold water).
3. Place the lamb in a large non-stick roasting tin, scatter around the carrots*, squash, potatoes* and red onions. Drizzle over the oil and season all well. (*As it did not say to peel the carrots and potatoes I was undecided whether it was so obvious that it didn’t tell you to! However, I decided to follow the recipe and not peel and they were both very tasty, more nutritious, and saved time).
4. Add a small* glass of wine and a splash of water. (*As it did not state how big a small glass of wine is I decided to put in the 150ml it says in the ingredients list, I did not need to add any more later).
5. Place the roasting tin in the oven for 10 minutes and then turn the oven down to 180°C. (I feel that it should then say cook for 30 minutes here!)
6. After another 30 minutes add the garlic and rosemary sprigs to the pan and scatter the fennel seeds and lemon over the lamb.
7. Continue roasting until the vegetables are soft and beginning to caramelise and the lamb is cooked to your liking (approx 20-30 minutes more for medium).
8. Add a splash more wine or water to the pan if it is looking very dry. Once out of the oven cover with foil and rest for 15 minutes before carving.
9. Ready to serve.

For more information on New Zealand Lamb visit: www.loveourlamb.co.uk

I received Sainsburys vouchers in order to purchase the necessary to cook this recipe. All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.