Crispy roast lamb recipe

Adding a crispy crunch to your roast lamb gives it a delicious new flavour while giving a really satisfying additional texture, too. Cover you lamb with a tangy lemon, olive and anchovy stuffing with this simple recipe. We love this dish when the nights begin getting a bit cooler and darker and you just want comfort food thanks to its rich, warming flavours. The meat is meltingly tender and packed full of flavour for a really satisfying meal.

Ingredients

• 2kg (4½lb) leg of lamb
• 450ml (¾ pint) vegetable or lamb stock
• Sprigs of rosemary, to garnish
• About 200ml (7fl oz) dry white wine, optional
• 2 tbsp plain flour or gravy granules

For the stuffing:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Knob of butter
• 1 large red onion, peeled and chopped
• 1-2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 30g (1oz) fresh flat-leaved parsley, chopped
• 4 sprigs of rosemary, leaves chopped
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 60g (2oz) stoned black olives
• 50g can anchovies, drained
• 200g (7oz) breadcrumbs
• 150ml (¼ pint) vegetable or lamb stock
• Freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Set the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5.
   
2. To make the stuffing: Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan, add the onion and fry gently for 10 mins until softened. Take off the heat. Stir in the rest of the ingredients.
3. Make deep cuts in the lamb at 5cm (2in) intervals and push in about half the stuffing. Tie string around the joint to hold it together. Put it in a roasting tin and roast for 20 mins.
4. Turn the oven temperature down to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Pour stock into the roasting pan and cook for 2½ hours, adding more stock or water if it starts to dry out. Put the rest of the stuffing in a dish and bake it separately for 30-40 mins.
5. Remove lamb from the oven and put on a hot platter. Cover it with foil and leave to rest for 30 mins. Garnish with rosemary.
6. Use pan juices to make gravy, adding wine, if using, more stock or water to the juices and thickening with flour or gravy granules.