Roast lamb with mint sauce
Garlic and rosemary leg of lamb with sharp fresh mint sauce
Roast leg of lamb is the Easter Sunday lunch of England, when spring lamb from the South Downs and the West Country comes in, served with roast potatoes, spring greens and a jug of mint sauce. The sauce is the English twist: chopped garden mint steeped in vinegar and a little sugar, sharp enough to cut the richness of the meat. Chef's tip: make the mint sauce an hour ahead so the vinegar mellows and the mint flavour comes out.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the lamb
- 4 ⅜ lb bone-in leg of lamb
- 4 cloves garlicsliced
- 3 sprigs rosemary
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 onionsthickly sliced
For the mint sauce
- 1 oz fresh mint leaves
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 3 tbsp boiling water
- 4 tbsp white wine vinegar
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Take the 4 ⅜ lb bone-in leg of lamb out of the fridge 1 hour before cooking. Heat the oven to 425°F (400°F fan).
60 minStep 2: Make 12 small cuts all over the lamb and push in slivers of 4 cloves garlic and small sprigs of 3 sprigs rosemary. Rub with 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper and sit on the 2 onions in a roasting tin.
8 minStep 3: Roast for 20 minutes, then lower to 350°F (325°F fan) and roast about 1 hour 10 minutes more, until a probe in the thickest part reads 140°F for pink or 145°F for medium.
90 minStep 4: Rest the lamb, loosely covered with foil, for 20 minutes; the temperature rises a few degrees. A common mistake is carving straight away, which floods the board with juice.
20 minStep 5: For the sauce, chop the 1 oz fresh mint leaves finely with the 1 tbsp sugar (the sugar helps chop it). Put in a jug, pour over the 3 tbsp boiling water, stir, then add the 4 tbsp white wine vinegar. Taste and add a little more sugar if very sharp.
5 minStep 6: Carve the lamb across the grain and serve with the onions, pan juices and mint sauce.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 46 g
- Carbs
- 4 g
- Fat
- 34 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does roast lamb with mint sauce take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 100 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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