Roast lamb

The Sunday roast is a great Kiwi tradition, but recent indications are that it is losing its popularity. That's a shame.
In today's world, family members are likely to have had little chance to talk much with each other through the week. Sitting around the table on Sunday gives them a chance to relax and regroup.
We have pictured a lamb rump, but to feed a family we suggest you ask your butcher to bone out and butterfly a whole leg. The resulting cut cooks quickly and is easily carved.
Don't be tempted to omit the anchovies. They don't taste fishy. Rather, they melt into the flesh and add an intriguing saltiness.
You will love the result, we promise!
1 leg of lamb, boned, butterflied, trimmed
3 cloves of garlic, part-crushed, cut into 2mm sticks
6 anchovies, cut in thin strips 1cm long
3 sprigs rosemary, cut into 2cm lengths
3 Tbsps pure olive oil
salt and pepper
half cup red wine
three-quarter cup beef or chicken stock
1 Tbsp cornflour, if needed
Set oven to 180C. Cut tiny slits all over the lamb, and press a garlic stick into each one, plus a strip of anchovy and a mini-sprig of rosemary, leaving the leaves of the latter sticking up. Drizzle with oil, season and cook in the oven to your liking.
Medium-rare equates to an internal temperature of 60C. If you've a meat thermometer, take the roast from the oven at around 55C, tent it loosely under baking paper and let rest 10 minutes or so, during which time the temperature will rise. Otherwise, test after 20-25 minutes by sticking a skewer into the thickest part. The juices should be pink. If you're still unsure, cut into it and check.
Just before carving the meat, tip the wine into the roasting pan, boil until it reduces a little, then add stock and reduce to a good pouring consistency.
Be careful using commercial stock - it tends to saltiness. It is better to thicken the sauce with a thin paste of cold water and cornflour, drizzled into the simmering sauce. Serve with vegetables.
Serves 6-8
Wine match
Selaks Wines have decreed that this Sunday, August 1, should be National Roast Day, so to thank them for the idea we have chosen one of their reds to sit in the glass alongside the lamb. The gold medal-winning Selaks Winemaker's Favourite Hawkes Bay Merlot/Cabernet 2008 has a dash of smoky leather behind its classic blackcurrant aromas and a richly warming, velvety structure. At around $20 a bottle, it's a bargain.