When it comes to the big holidays, I like to indulge in a little tradition. Easter is definitely a lot more low-key than our end-of-year feasts, but it’s still a time of gathering, and deserves a little extra effort. This year, I’m opting for a classic leg of lamb with roasted carrots and baby potato crisps (homemade of course!) as the main event. That’s it, no bells and whistles (I can do that for dessert). When a feast is this good, you let it tell its own story.
ROAST LEG OF LAMB WITH POMEGRANATE AND BABY CARROTS
Prep time: 30 minutes | Cooking time: 4 hours | Serves: 6
for the leg of lamb
2 kg leg of lamb, whole
60 ml olive oil
1 white onion, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks and leaves, chopped
10 ml coriander seeds
1 bay leaf
15 ml tomato paste
500 ml red wine
400 g tinned tomatoes, chopped
3 sprigs rosemary, small
2 L beef stock
to taste Maldon salt
to taste black pepper, ground
60 g salted butter
for the roasted carrots
12 medium rainbow carrots
30 g butter, salted
45 ml olive oil
3 sprigs thyme, whole
to taste Maldon salt
to taste black pepper, ground
for the baby potato crisps
12 baby potatoes
750 ml sunflower oil, for frying
to taste Maldon salt
for the garnish
1 large pomegranate, whole
for the leg of lamb
Preheat your oven to 160°C. Generously season the leg of lamb with salt. In a saucepan over high heat, add olive oil and sear the leg of lamb until golden brown in colour. Remove the lamb and set aside.
Lower the heat and add onions, carrots, and celery to the same pan, seasoning them with salt and pepper. Sauté for 10 minutes until caramelised, then add coriander seeds, bay leaf, and tomato paste, cooking for an additional 5 minutes allowing the tomato paste to turn a more orange colour, while stirring.
Increase the heat, add red wine to deglaze the pan, and let it simmer until reduced by half. Stir in tinned tomatoes, rosemary sprigs, and beef stock, transfer everything to a deep roasting tray. Add the seared lamb and cover with heavy-duty foil.
Roast in the oven for 3-4 hours until the lamb is tender, occasionally turning it around after 2 hours to ensure even cooking.
Remove the lamb from the cooking liquid and set it aside. Strain the remaining liquid through a fine sieve into a pot and discard any leftover contents. Let the liquid simmer until it reduces by half and thickens into a flavorful gravy. Add butter and stir until it’s fully incorporated.
Serve the succulent leg of lamb with your delicious homemade gravy
for the roasted carrots
Preheat your oven to 160°C and line a roasting tray with non-stick baking paper. To ensure even cooking, halve the larger carrots lengthwise, and leave the smaller carrots whole. Scatter the carrots in the lined tray and add butter, olive oil, thyme, and season with salt and pepper.
Cover the tray with heavy-duty foil and roast in the oven for 1 hour until tender. Remove the carrots from the oven and switch it to grill mode.
Uncover the tray and place it back in the oven to grill the carrots for 5 minutes until lightly charred and caramelized. This will give your carrots a beautiful smoky flavor and add an extra layer of texture to your dish.
Once done, remove the tray from the oven and garnish with freshly chopped herbs before serving.
for the baby potato crisps
In a small pot, heat oil over medium heat until it reaches a temperature of 170°C.
Using a mandolin, thinly slice the baby potatoes with caution, carefully drop the potato disks into the hot oil in small batches, ensuring that they are fully submerged. Fry until they turn a to a golden hue and are perfectly crisp.
Remove the potato disks from the oil using a slotted spoon and let them drain on a paper towel to remove any excess oil. Season the crispy potato chips with salt while they are still warm
for the garnish
Break open the pomegranate and use chunks to serve with the leg of lamb.
