Herbed leg of lamb

Unfortunately, lamb has become such an expensive, special-occasion meat that many cooks aren’t sure how it should be prepared. It’s simple – put it in a roasting pan in the oven together with some herbs and cook it on a low to medium temperature. However, choosing the lamb is a bit of a gamble. Some can be chewy and others melt-in-your mouth tender. Hence, I prefer to hedge my bets and cook it on a low heat for a longer time.

Ingredients

2 ½ kgs	Leg of lamb (Main)
2 Tbsp	Olive oil
1 tsp	Salt
4 cloves	Garlic, slivered
12	Rosemary sprigs
1 pinch	Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup	Water

Topping

¼ cup	Chopped parsley
¼ cup	Chopped mint
2 cloves	Garlic, crushed
1	Lemon, rind finely grated

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C.
2. Score the lamb as you would for a ham. Brush well with oil and rub in the salt.
3. Make small incisions in the top of the lamb and insert the garlic. Top with the rosemary and black pepper. Place in an oven pan and add the water. Roast for 3 hours.
4. Meanwhile, combine the topping ingredients.
5. When the lamb is cooked, cover loosely with foil and a towel. Rest for 15 minutes. It will be easier to carve. Serve sprinkled with the topping ingredients.