Big Boy’s Brunch

We have invited one of our neighbours over for Sunday dinner. She has recently broken her hand and we thought she could do with a little TLC to help the healing process. We often invite folks to share our Sunday brunch or dinner as it is a great way to be neighbourly, share good food and let people know that they have a special place in your life.

Recently, Wendy and I started to plan our meals a little further ahead to reduce shopping hassles and the seemingly inevitable silence when we ask the kids what they want for supper. Instead, we have worked out family meals for the month and will shop accordingly. Deviation from the planned meals is OK but we wanted to send a signal that we’ll be serving healthy nutritious food that the majority like on a daily basis so if your favourite isn’t being served tonight, it probably will be tomorrow.

For instance, in the past we have habitually tended towards roast chicken with all the trimmings as this is one of the few meals that all six of us will eat without altering to accommodate likes and dislikes. I love roast chicken but one can have too much of a good thing. We still allow for Wendy’s ‘no red meat’ preference but have added a little variety by introducing a different roast every other weekend.

Last weekend, it was roast lamb. While one can do great roast lamb with all sorts of additional ingredients, I needed to keep the kids ‘on-side’ so I chose to keep it simple.

Roast lamb with rosemary and garlic

By using the classic combination of just olive oil, garlic and rosemary, I focused on enhancing the lamb’s natural flavour rather than counterpointing it with another. I’m not claiming there’s anything new in this – Elizabeth, Delia, Jamie and many more besides all have their own variation – but this is about as simple as it gets. Judging by the fact there was just enough left to make a nice sandwich for Monday lunch, I’d say I hit the mark.

2kg leg of lamb
Fresh rosemary
Clove of garlic
Olive oil
Lemon juice
Salt

Pre-heat the oven to 220°C/420°F. Very lightly score the skin all round the leg, like scoring the top of a loaf ready for baking, taking care not to score too deeply. With the leg standing on end, insert a boning knife along side the bone and work around it, carefully separating the meat from the bone to the depth of your index finger (as in the picture) – needless to say, do not insert knife and finger at the same time! Rub the outside of the lamb all over with the cut lemon. Grind the rosemary and salt with a mortar and pestle, adding the garlic and a little olive oil to make a granular paste. Rub this all over the joint and into the gap you made next to the bone. Season with salt, a little black pepper and more rosemary. Add olive oil to cover a pre-warmed roasting tray and add the lamb. Cook for 15 mins and 15 mins per 450g for a medium roast and turn every 20 minutes or so to brown all sides. Remove and rest under a foil tent for 20 minutes minimum to relax the meat before carving.