Roast Leg of Lamb with Olives & Orange

Serves 8

Photo: Julie Biuso

Ingredients

• 2 kg of lamb
• 6 kalamata olives, stones removed and roughly chopped
• Grated zest 1 orange
• 1 tsp chopped thyme
• 2 large cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Flaky sea salt
• 2 Tbsp melted butter
• Vegetables, optional (see method)

Method

1 Have lamb at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).

2 Remove any large lumps of fat from the back or sides of the lamb. Cut a dozen or so deep slits in the plump side of the lamb with a small sharp knife. Put olives, orange zest, thyme and garlic together on a chopping board and chop finely. Add some black pepper and a few generous pinches of sea salt, then stuff a small amount of the flavourings in each slit in the lamb, smoothing it in - garlic and olives can burn if left on top.

3 Transfer the lamb to a rack set in a roasting tin. If liked, surround with chunks of potatoes or kumara, first tossed in a little oil and sea salt. Brush the lamb with melted butter and season the top with flaky sea salt. Roast for 1 hour 10 minutes, basting often, and if you have vegetables in the tin, turn them at the same time.

4 Transfer lamb to a board and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing with a thin sharp-bladed knife. The vegetables can be returned to the oven to continue cooking (increase the heat if they haven’t coloured sufficiently). Alternatively, pour off fat from the tin and make a conventional gravy, or set the tin over medium heat, pour in 1 cup of wine and let it reduce, stirring often, until syrupy.