Lamb with Oven-Roasted Tomatoes - Picnics
- Serves:
- 4
- Preparation time:
- 15
- Cooking time:
- 3¼ hrs
Ingredients
- 850-900g frozen New Zealand Half Lamb Leg - fillet or knuckle end
- 2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary (optional)
- 12 tomatoes, halved
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced handful fresh basil leaves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Place lamb on a large piece of foil covering a large roasting tin, add a few sprigs of rosemary if liked, and bring sides up to cover. Fold the top over to seal lamb inside. Roast at 150C/300F/Gas 2 for 2 1/2 hours.
2. Remove seeds from tomatoes and place cut side up on a baking tray lined with foil. Drizzle with 2 tbsp oil and season with salt and ground black pepper. Bake below lamb for 1¼ hours.
3. Remove tomatoes and top each one with a sliver of garlic. Return to oven for a further 30 minutes until lightly browned and semi-dried - they should still be a little juicy and quite pliable. Place in a bowl and toss with remaining oil; set aside.
4. Melt mint jelly in a small pan. Remove lamb from oven after 2 1/2 hours and open foil but don't remove completely. Increase oven temperature to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Brush with a third of the mint jelly. Return to oven and cook uncovered for 15 minutes. Repeat twice more until all the jelly has been used and the lamb has cooked uncovered for a further 45 minutes.
5. Remove lamb and bring foil up around it to cover. Rest in a warm place for at least 15 minutes before serving or allow to cool completely. Stir roughly torn basil leaves into tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.
6. Serve with lamb and tomatoes with fresh crusty bread.
Tips and hints
- This lamb is perfect for picnics. Cook in the morning, keep wrapped in foil and take with you ? serve only just warm or cold with bread.
