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Roast leg of lamb stuffed with watercress and anchovies recipe

Roast leg of lamb stuffed with watercress and anchovies recipe

6 ratings

Update your traditional Easter lamb with a bold herby stuffing using peppery watercress and anchovies for maximum flavour. Served with a tangy redcurrant gravy, this impressive roast will take your Easter lunch up a notch. See method

  • Serves 6
  • 10 mins to prepare and 2 hrs to cook
  • 516 calories / serving
  • Dairy-free

Ingredients

  • 1 lamb leg joint, approx 2.3kg
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 garlic bulb, cut horizontally through the centre
  • 200ml white wine
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 250ml lamb stock
  • 1 tsp redcurrant jelly or cranberry sauce

For the stuffing

  • 1 red onion, finely chopped
  • 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary leaves, plus extra sprigs for roasting
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves
  • 5 anchovy fillets, drained and chopped
  • 1 lemon, zested
  • 1½ x 85g bags watercress
If you don't have red onions, try using white, brown or spring onions

Each serving contains

  • Energy

    2150kj
    516kcal     26%

  • Fat

    29g 42%

  • Saturates

    14g 72%

  • Sugars

    2g 2%

  • Salt

    1.5g 26%

of the reference intake
Carbohydrate 7.2g Protein 50.3g Fibre 1g

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to gas 7, 220°C, fan 200°C. To make the stuffing, blitz the onion, garlic, chopped herbs, anchovies, lemon zest and 85g watercress in a food processor to a rough paste; season.
  2. Thoroughly dry the lamb with kitchen paper and place it, skin-side down, on a board. Cut a pocket in the thick part of the meat, cutting along the bone about halfway down, being careful not to cut all the way through.
  3. Spoon as much of the stuffing as you can into the pocket, then tie the leg up with several pieces of kitchen string to close it, tucking the extra rosemary sprigs under the string. Press any leftover stuffing into the underside of the meat. Rub the lamb all over with oil and season well. Place in a snug-fitting, hob-safe roasting tin, along with the garlic bulb halves.
  4. Roast for 20 mins, then reduce the oven to gas 5, 190°C, fan 170°C and continue to cook for 1 hr 5 mins, covering the lamb with foil if it browns too quickly. Pour over the wine and cook for a further 30 mins.
  5. Transfer the joint to a warm serving dish and cover with foil to keep warm while you make the gravy.
  6. Put the tin on the hob over a low heat, add the flour and whisk it into the pan juices. Whisk in the stock and redcurrant jelly, then simmer for 2 mins. Season and strain into a warm jug. Serve the lamb with the remaining watercress and the gravy.

See more Leg of lamb recipes

For top tips on protecting you and your family when preparing raw meat and poultry, visit Food Safety in the Home.

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