Herb-Stuffed Leg of Lamb

Method

 Pre-heat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas Mark 5. To make the stuffing, melt the butter in a large frying pan and sauté the onion for 3–4 minutes until softened but not coloured. Stir in the thyme leaves, parsley and breadcrumbs and season to taste. Press the stuffing inside the boned-out leg of lamb and season the joint all over. Arrange the herb sprigs around the outside of the lamb and then tie it up neatly with string.

Place the lamb in a roasting tin, cover loosely with foil and roast for 2 hours. Remove the foil and baste well, then roast for another 30 minutes until just tender. If you like your lamb more well done, give it another 30 minutes in the oven. To check that it is cooked to your liking, insert a skewer into the thickest part of the meat and watch the juice run out: the pinker the juice, the rarer the meat. When it is cooked to your liking, transfer the lamb to a carving platter and leave to rest in a warm plate for 30 minutes.

To make the gravy, place the roasting tin directly on the hob and stir the flour into the fat and juices. Cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously, then gradually add the stock, whisking until smooth after each addition and scraping the bottom of the tin to remove any caramelized juices. Transfer to a small pan and whisk in the redcurrant jelly, then simmer gently until you have achieved the desired consistency. Carefully strain into a gravy boat.

When the lamb is rested, carefully cut away the herbs and string, then carve into slices, holding the shank end of the bone. Serve at once with the potatoes, carrots, parsnips and gravy.