Meltingly tender and infused with flavours of the Mediterranean, the lamb pairs beautifully with the fresh and zesty gremolata and tangy feta topping.
COOK'S NOTE: We served the lamb with a leaf salad and a crusty loaf of bread.
Serves: 6-8
INGREDIENTS
2 large brown onions, thickly sliced
sea salt and ground pepper
2-kilogram bone-in leg of lamb
2 tablespoons each crushed garlic, whole grain mustard and runny honey
1 tablespoon each olive oil, finely chopped rosemary and dried oregano
2 teaspoons each sea salt and finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon ground pepper
½ teaspoon chilli flakes
TO SERVE
100 grams feta
Herb and Caper Gremolata, see recipe below
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 160°C regular bake.
Put the onions in a roasting dish that will hold the lamb snugly and season with salt and pepper.
Pat the lamb dry with kitchen towels. Using a sharp knife, score the lamb on both sides by making shallow cuts across the meat, deep enough to break through the skin. This allows the paste to penetrate and flavour the meat.
Combine all the remaining ingredients in a bowl. Rub a third of the paste over the bottom of the lamb, pushing it into all the cuts. Turn the lamb over, place on top of the onions and spoon over the remaining paste, making sure every bit of lamb is covered.
Cover with a piece of baking paper then seal tightly with foil (extra wide foil is good for this).
Roast for 5 hours. Remove the foil and spoon over some of the cooking juices then roast uncovered for a further 1 hour. Take the lamb out of the oven and loosely cover with foil and a tea towel on top, and rest for 15 minutes.
TO SERVE: Crumble half of the feta over the lamb then spoon over half of the gremolata, serving the rest separately. Serve with the onions and spoon over some of the pan juices.
Herb and Caper Gremolata
⅓ cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 packed cup parsley, finely chopped
½ packed cup mint leaves, finely chopped
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons capers
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
½ teaspoon chilli flakes sea salt and ground pepper
Combine the onion and lemon juice in a bowl and leave for 10 minutes. Stir in all the remaining ingredients and season well with salt and pepper.
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We start by sharing what’s on the dish team’s radar, what we’re watching, listening to and reading. Harry Butterfield puts a twist on his Nonna’s agnolotti, Malissa Fedele reminds us of the importance of fibre, and Phoebe Holden fulfils a long-held dream, sitting down with Yotam Ottolenghi. Autumn is an abundant time, we make the most with pumpkin, kūmara, cabbage, cauliflower, feijoas, apples and pears. We’re dishing up dinners for two, including a Chicken Dumpling Lasagne, alongside easy weeknight meals. We honour our mums, revisit timeless classics, and add a little baking challenge. This issue, we encourage you to slow down, to enjoy writing your shopping list, and spending time in the kitchen. Because even when life feels relentless, there’s always space to share something delicious.