2 - 2 1/2 kg leg of lamb, preferably with shank bone un-severed
2 large cloves garlic
1/2 cup finely chopped coriander (approx 1 smallish bunch)
Marinade-
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
5 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup (60 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
1. Make incisions all over the lamb to the depth of 1 cm or so with the tip of a sharp knife. Slice the garlic into thickish slivers, dip the slivers into the chopped coriander and push them into the slits. Set the lamb aside in a shallow dish.
Note- rosemary sprigs instead of coriander
2. Tip any remaining chopped coriander into a large bowl. Add all the marinade ingredients and mix everything together to form a paste.
3. Rub the paste all over the lamb, working it in well with your hands. This is a bit mucky but the only way to do it effectively - I always wear prep gloves when I do this otherwise the spices dye your hands a rather alarming shade of yellow!
Cover the lamb tightly and put it in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or better still overnight for the flavours to penetrate the meat. Before you cook the lamb, bring it to cool room temperature.
4. Preheat your oven to 180C.
5. Sit the lamb in a roasting tin lined with foil and baking paper. Pour any marinade that remains in the dish over it. Roast for about 1 1/4 hours, basting the meat occasionally with the cooking juices. This timing gives you fairly pink, moist lamb, if you prefer it a little more cooked, leave it a bit longer.
6. Remove the lamb from the oven, it should have a dark crusty coating and smell divine. Cover it loosely with foil, and leave it to rest in a warm place for at least 20 minutes so the juices can settle before carving.
Serving
Suggestions
The spicy coating in this recipe gives the lamb a terrific flavour. It's great served with couscous and a fairly sharp, tangy salad - a combination of
Originally Submitted
10/2/2014
0 Out of 5 from
0 reviews
You can add this Middle Eastern-Spiced Roast Leg of Lamb recipe to your own private DesktopCookbook.
