102 GOURMET TRAVELLER
Roast lamb leg
SERVES 6 // PREP TIME 35 MINS // COOK 1 HR (PLUS MARINATING, RESTING)“The leg, in my opinion, is the best part of the lamb,” says Stanton. “You’ve got part of
the shin, which is gelatinous, the fatty parts and the lean parts, and so you get a variety
of flavours and textures throughout. A simple marinade is good here. I prefer marinades
on the dry side because the salt draws out the moisture to tighten the muscle and
permeate the meat.” Start this recipe a day ahead to marinate the lamb.Pictured p101.Honey-ginger carrots
SERVES 6-8 // PREP TIME 10 MINS // COOK 35 MINS“Cooking the carrots whole and unpeeled gives them a
more natural look,” says Stanton. “The texture is better,
and the skin holds more of the flavour in. Cook with the
honey until sweet, glossy and tender.”Pictured p101.2 lemons, thickly sliced,
plus extra wedges
(optional) to serve
5 garlic cloves, bruised
1.8 kg butterflied lamb leg
2 tsp fine salt
3 tsp ground cumin
3 tsp smoked paprika
80 ml (⅓ cup) extra-virgin
olive oil
PAN GRAVY
25 gm unsalted butter
2½ tbsp plain flour
500 ml (2 cups) chicken stock,
preferably from a butcher
or homemade
2 tsp wholegrain mustard1 Scatter half the lemon
and garlic in the base of a
non-reactive container and top
with lamb. Season lamb all
over with salt, then combine2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil,
plus extra to serve
8 carrots (about 1kg),
unpeeled
120 gm butter, softened
30 gm ginger (about 6cm),
thickly sliced
175 gm (½ cup) honey
Finely chopped parsley
and chives, to serve
Sour cream, to servecumin and paprika, and rub all
over lamb. Drizzle with oil and
gently rub over lamb to coat,
without rubbing off spices.
Top with remaining lemon and
garlic, pressing into surface.
Cover and refrigerate to
marinate (overnight).
2 Preheat oven to 180°C. Heat
a flameproof roasting pan or
large frying pan over medium
heat. Add lamb fat-side down
(remove lemon and garlic) and
cook until golden brown and
fat is rendered (4-5 minutes;
be careful not to burn spices).
Turn lamb fat-side up, transfer to
oven in roasting pan and roast,
checking internal temperature
every 15 minutes until lamb
is cooked rare and internal
temperature reaches 48°C
(15-30 minutes). Remove1 Heat oil in a large frying
pan over medium-high heat,
add carrots and fry, turning
occasionally, until deep golden
brown (18-20 minutes). Add
butter and ginger, reduce heat
to medium, and cook until
carrots are tender and butter
is reduced (10 minutes; reduce
heat to low if butter is starting
to burn). Add honey and cook,
tossing occasionally, until
carrots are glazed (5 minutes).
2 Scatter carrots with herbs,
top with a good spoonful of
sour cream, and serve drizzled
with oil and topped with freshly
ground pepper.lamb from oven and rest for
20 minutes (it will come to
medium-rare). Reserve pan
juices and fat for gravy.
3 For pan gravy, add butter and
reserved fat to a saucepan over
medium heat. Whisk in flour,
then stir until sandy-coloured
(2-3 minutes). Gradually whisk
in stock, bring to the boil, then
stir in mustard and pan juices
and season to taste. Simmer
until flavours have combined
(10 minutes).
4 Meanwhile, reheat lamb
briefly in oven, then carve. Serve
with gravy and lemon wedges.
Wine suggestionCortese such
as 2016 La Morella Il Monte from
Piedmont, Italy, or a red blend
such as 2018 Travis Tausend
Agori (with pinot noir, shiraz and
merlot) from the Adelaide Hills.