Sardinian-Style Lamb with Rosemary, Garlic and Roast Potatoes

Serves - 4

You’ll need

• 1.2kg lamb shoulder, bone-in or boneless
• 1kg Maris Piper or King Edward potatoes, peeled and cut into chunky pieces
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 5 garlic cloves, finely grated or crushed
• 2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 150ml dry white wine
• 150ml chicken or lamb stock
• Sea salt
• Black pepper

Method

1. Prepare the lamb

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan.

In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of the olive oil with the garlic, chopped rosemary, lemon zest, lemon juice, a generous pinch of salt, and plenty of black pepper.

Pat the lamb dry with kitchen paper, then rub the rosemary and garlic mixture all over it, getting into every sensible corner.

2. Start the lamb

Put the lamb into a roasting tin and pour the white wine and stock around it, not over the top. Cover tightly with foil and roast for 3–3½ hours, until the lamb is tender and giving way easily when pressed with a spoon or fork.

3. Cook the potatoes

About an hour before the lamb is ready, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and parboil the potatoes for 8–10 minutes, until the edges are just beginning to soften.

Drain well, then give them a good shake in the colander to rough up the outsides. That is where the crispness lives.

Tip them into a roasting tray with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Roast at 220°C fan for 45–55 minutes, turning once or twice, until golden and crisp.

4. Finish the lamb

Once the lamb is tender, remove the foil and turn the oven up to 200°C fan. Roast uncovered for another 20–25 minutes so the outside takes on a bit of colour and the juices reduce slightly.

Lift the lamb out and let it rest for 10–15 minutes.

5. Serve

Carve or pull the lamb into generous pieces and serve with the roast potatoes and spoonfuls of the pan juices over the top.

A couple of helpful notes

- A handful of black olives added to the roasting tin for the final 30 minutes would sit very nicely here if you want to lean it slightly further into Mediterranean territory.
- This is excellent with a bitter green salad or simply dressed greens alongside, just to sharpen the plate a little.
- Do not rush the lamb. Shoulder rewards patience and very little else will do.