Jamie's slow roast leg of lamb

This has to be the best lamb dish i have ever cooked... well of course it would be as it's one of Jamie Oliver's recipes! It is from his 2000 cookbook 'the return of the naked chef', i was so impressed by this that i'm going to try making most of the other recipes in the book. 

Although this is roast lamb, this isn't a roast dinner. Its more of a amazingly tender slow cooked piece of meat with steamed vegetables and a thin sauce. The beauty of this is that the flavours from the veg infuse the meat and vice versa. The potatoes may have the texture of a plain boiled potato but they taste amazing. It contains the vegetable celeriac, which i have never eaten before. It has a slight aniseed flavour (i don't usually like aniseed but it isn't too strong) and really makes a difference to the dish.

Also, this dish looks and tastes like a lot of time and effort has been spent on it, but all it is really is cutting and frying off the veg, sealing the meat and then leaving it to cook for 4-5 hours. Easy peasy.

These quantities serve 6 hungry people. Preheat the oven to 170'C


3 red onions peeled and quartered
4 large potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
1 celeriac peeled and cut into chunks 
6 carrots scrubbed and halved
3 parsnips scrubbed and halved
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
6 rashers of bacon
1 bottle of white wine
rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper (Fresh herbs are best for this)
1 large leg of lamb.


This is pretty much what Jamie says mixed with what i actually did:


In a large casserole pot or deep sided roasting tray with oil, seal off the lamb by frying all sides until it goes a bit brown. i used big bbq tongs to help hold the lamb as its much easier. Put to one side. 
In the same oil, fry off all of the veg, bacon and garlic. 


Add the wine, along with the same amount of water and bring to the boil. Add the lamb on top, along with herbs, season with salt and pepper then TIGHTLY cover COMPLETELY with foil. This is very important so take some time with it and do it properly.

Cook for 4 hours, have a little check of the lamb and if you think it needs longer put it back in the oven.
The meat should just fall off the bone when pulled with a fork. If in doubt put it in for longer because it wont overcook it will just get more tender.


''To serve, pull away a nice portion of meat, take a selection of veg and serve with some crusty bread to mop up the gravy.''


Lamb is expensive, this isn't something to make every week but if you and you're mates all chip in it's well worth making.


Bon Appetit,
Melon xxx