HERB-CRUSTED LEG OF LAMB WITH RED WINE GRAVY

Herb-crusted leg of lamb with red wine gravy image

Thanks to a breadcrumb coating made with parsley, mint, rosemary and garlic, this roast joint is a cut above the rest

Provided by James Martin

Time 2h25m

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

2 ¼kg leg of lamb
3 small garlic cloves , sliced
2 onions , cut into chunks
1 carrot , cut into chunks
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
175g white breadcrumb (a few days old is best)
small bunch parsley , finely chopped
small bunch mint , finely chopped
5 rosemary sprigs, leaves finely chopped
2 fat garlic cloves , crushed
3 ½ tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp plain flour
400ml red wine
1l lamb or beef stock
1-2 tsp Dijon mustard
knob of butter

Steps:

Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Use a sharp knife to make little slits all over the lamb, then insert a slice of garlic into each hole. Tip the onions and carrot into a large flameproof roasting tin, then place the lamb on top and season. Pour 250ml water into the base of the tin and roast in the oven for 30 mins.
Meanwhile, make the crust by mixing together all the ingredients and seasoning well. Remove the lamb from the oven and turn the heat down to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Brush the lamb all over with the mustard, then pack on the crust in a thick layer - don't worry if any falls in the tin, this will be used in the gravy later (you probably won't use the entire crust, so set aside what's left for later). Return the lamb to the oven and cook for a further 1 hr 30 mins. Check the lamb during cooking and add more water to the base of the tin if it dries out.
Remove the lamb from the tin, cover lightly with foil and leave to rest for 30-40 mins - if covered too tightly, the crust will go soggy.
To make the gravy, put the roasting tin with the vegetables still in it directly on the heat and whisk in the flour. Cook for 1 min, then add the wine, scraping any flour from the bottom of the tin. Let it bubble for 1 min, then pour in the stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 10-15 mins until thickened, stirring in a little of the reserved crust for a thicker gravy. Strain the gravy through a sieve into a pan, discarding the vegetables left in the sieve. Add mustard to taste and stir through the butter. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 564 calories, Fat 27 grams fat, SaturatedFat 11 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 25 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 4 grams sugar, Fiber 3 grams fiber, Protein 48 grams protein, Sodium 1.5 milligram of sodium