Butterflied leg of lamb with mushrooms, grilled cos lettuce and feta cream

Tam West

With the bone removed, this is the quickest way to roast a leg of lamb. Cooked lettuce? Absolutely – the French have a long tradition of cooked lettuce dishes. I got the idea for the following lettuce from Amano restaurant where genius chef, Jo Pearson’s great charred cos with cream cheese is a favourite of mine. This is good with steamed rice.

Ingredients

1 kg	Butterflied boneless leg of lamb, cut in half (Main)
3	Garlic cloves, finely chopped
5 Tbsp	Extra virgin olive oil
3 sprigs	Thyme, large
350 g	Button mushrooms, halved (Main)
100 g	Feta, crumbled (Main)
100 g	Sour cream
4	Baby cos lettuce, enough stalk left on to hold the lettuce together but any outer coarse or damaged leaves removed, halved lengthways (Main)
1 small handful	Mint

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 200C. Line a large, shallow roasting tray with baking paper
2. Put one half of the lamb on a clean board, meat side up. Slice into the thicker parts of the lamb but not right through. Turn the lamb over so it is skin side up, cover with plastic wrap and beat with a rolling pin or meat hammer until it is about an even 4cm thick all over. Repeat for the other half.
3. Rub the garlic all over the lamb and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Heat 3 Tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan and brown the lamb well on both sides.
5. Put the thyme on the paper-lined tray and put the lamb on top, skin side up.
6. Put the pan back over high heat, add the mushrooms and brown well.
7. Scatter the mushrooms around the lamb on the tray. Place in the oven and roast 15-20 minutes for medium.
8. When the lamb is almost ready, put the feta and sour cream into a small bowl and mix well. Taste and season.
9. Heat a barbecue, ridged grill or frying pan over high heat.
10. Brush the cut side of the lettuce with the remaining oil, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and place on the grill cut side down until well browned and hot. Remove to a warm serving platter and slice each half in half again if desired.

More lighter roast dinners from Ray

• Roast chicken with Chinese flavours and cucumber and peanut salad
• Sirloin roasted with pumpkin and beetroot