CONTINENTAL LAMB ROAST

Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 1 ½ hour Serves: 4

Ingredients
½ leg New Zealand Lamb
2 cloves garlic cut into slivers
1 large onion, cut into wedges
1 red and 1 green pepper, deseeded and cut into chunks
1 aubergine, cut into chunks
1 large courgette, cut into chunks
30ml/2 tbsp olive oil
8 whole cloves garlic
fresh bay leaves

Preheat oven to 180º (350ºF) gas Mark 4.
Weigh the lamb and calculate the cooking time at 25 minutes to the 450g (1lb) plus 25 minutes extra.
Using a small sharp pointed knife make incisions into the meat at intervals of approx 2 inches
and push a sliver of garlic into each.

Put the onion, pepper, aubergine and courgette into a pan of salted water, bring to the boil and then drain and dry.

Heat the oil in a roasting tin. Add the garlic with the blanched vegetables and toss them in the
oil so they are well coated. Sprinkle with seasoning and add the bay leaves.

Nestle the lamb into the centre of the vegetables and cook for the calculated time, turning the
meat and vegetables several time as they cook.

Serve the joint surrounded by the vegetables.

Cook’s tips! Prepare the meat and the vegetables in advance and store separately in a cool place for until ready to cook. To complete the meal, cook jacket potatoes in the oven at the same time.

RICH LAMB AND RED WINE CASSEROLE

Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes Serves: 6

Ingredients
• 1.2kg/2lb 10oz New Zealand Lamb leg meat, cut into 3cm/1¼in chunks
• 2tbsp sunflower oil
• 12 shallots, peeled and halved
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 4 rashers rindless streaky bacon, sliced into 1cm/½in pieces
• 1 lamb stock cube
• 250ml/9floz red wine
• 2tbsp tomato purée
• 2tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• 350g/12oz button mushrooms, halved
• 1tbsp cornflour mixed with 1tbsp cold water to make a smooth paste
• freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 190°C/Gas 5.

Season the lamb with ground black pepper. Heat 1tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan and fry the meat in three batches until well browned, turning frequently, adding a little more oil if necessary. Transfer the lamb to a large flame proof casserole and set aside.
Heat the remaining oil in the frying pan and cook the shallots and garlic for 4-5 minutes until lightly browned. Put on a plate and set aside.
Add the bacon to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until crisp. Add the mixture to the lamb.
Dissolve the stock cube in 400ml/14floz boiling water and pour over the lamb. Add the red wine, tomato purée, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to the boil, then cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for 1 hour.
Remove casserole from the oven and stir in the shallots, garlic, mushrooms and cornflour paste. Return to the oven for a further 30 minutes until the lamb is tender. Season to taste and serve with a selection of vegetables.
Cook’s tips! Use a leg of lamb, either remove the meat from the bone yourself or ask your butcher to do it, or use diced lamb as purchased from the butcher or supermarket, thawed if frozen.
©Meat & Wool New Zealand 2009