Baked Leg of Lamb with Hummus and Au Jus

Serves 10-12

If refrigerator space allows prepare this recipe up to two days ahead. Ask your butcher for lamb leg with chump on.  Leg of lamb without chump will take 30 minutes less to cook than leg of lamb with chump.

Ingredients: 

3kg-3.3kg (1 whole) leg of lamb with chump on

5-7 cloves garlic, slivered

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 ½ teaspoons flaky sea salt

¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 large sheet brown paper 75cm x 75cm

3 large sheets baking paper, each around 75cm x 50cm

10-12 sprigs oregano

2 x 1m cooking twine

Hummus

Potatoes with Caper Vinaigrette

Preheat oven to 170°C.

Starting at the foot end of lamb leg, run your finger along leg of lamb on bony side for about 15cm, until you come to a soft spot.  This is the knee-joint.  Preferably using a boning knife, cut through joint to remove lower leg portion and reserve.  Alternatively ask your butcher to do this for you.

Using a sharp paring knife make small slits in lamb leg, pushing a sliver of garlic into each slit as you go.

Into a bowl place oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and mix to combine.

On a large work area place the large sheet of brown paper and top with three sheets of baking paper, overlapping each other.

Place lamb leg onto baking paper.  Taking a small amount of lemon mixture at a time rub it into lamb leg.  Repeat until all the lemon mixture is used.

Place oregano under and over the lamb leg.  Tuck the lower leg joint in close to the leg of lamb.

Wrap loosely in the baking paper as you would fish and chips, and then wrap in a similar fashion in the brown paper, ensuring fat side of leg is facing upwards.  Tie with cooking twine.  Place a roasting rack into a large roasting tray and place lamb parcel facing upwards onto rack.

Place into preheated oven and cook for 3 ½ hours.  During cooking time do not break the seal.

Remove from oven but do not unwrap and do not remove from the roasting rack. Rest away from heat for 20-30 minutes.

Make a cut in the top layers of paper and open up to expose the lamb.

Transfer lamb to a large chopping board being careful not to spill the cooking juices in the parcel.  Transfer cooking juices to Gravy Separator making sure the separator cork is placed in the spout.

Carve lamb and place on platter or plate. Remove cork from separator and pour au jus .  Also accompany with Hummus and Potatoes with Caper Vinaigrette.

Ingredients:

1 x 400g can cooked chickpeas, drained

1 clove garlic

1 ½ tablespoons tahini

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoon lemon juice

1 ¼ teaspoons flaky sea salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Into a food processor fitted with a metal blade place chickpeas, garlic, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Process to a thick puree.

Taste for seasoning.  Store covered in refrigerator for up to five days.

Ingredients: 

1.2kg potatoes, preferably scrubbed as opposed to peeled, if large cut into quarters

1/4  teaspoon table salt

Caper Vinaigrette

1 tablespoon roughly chopped Italian parsley leaves

Bring a pot of water to the boil. Add potatoes and level off water so water is flush with potatoes.  Add salt and cover pot with a lid.

Return pot to the boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer, place lid ajar and cook potatoes until just tender.  Drain potatoes.

{To keep potatoes warm, place them back into pot and place lid on pot.  Place pot back onto heat for about one minute to remove any residue of water.  Remove from heat and remove lid.  Cover top of potatoes with aluminium foil then with a folded tea towel.  Replace lid and then cover lid tightly with a tea towel.  Potatoes will keep warm for about 30 minutes.}

Transfer potatoes to a serving bowl and add half of the Caper Vinaigrette.  Gently toss to coat. Drizzle with remaining vinaigrette and sprinkle with parsley.

Serve hot or warm.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup  extra virgin

olive oil

3 tablespoons lime or lemon juice

1 tablespoon mirin or white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons  finely chopped gherkins

3 tablespoons roughly chopped capers

1 tablespoon finely chopped chives

1 teaspoon flaky sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place oil, lime juice, mirin, gherkins, capers, dill, salt and pepper into a bowl.  Whisk until well combined and a temporary emulsion is formed.