Roast Leg of Lamb with Anchovies

Australian Sunday roast is a meal that is typically served on Sunday, consisting of roast meat and roast vegetables! The meat of choice is often a juicy cut of lamb. This is a roast lunch without breaking the budget because I used herbs and lemon from our kitchen garden. And the leftover can feed us for days!
The rosemary is in full bloom everywhere in our garden, this winter season. It looks like the bees loves the flowers of rosemary. The leaves are used to flavor a variety of dishes, such as roast meat and vegetable, stew, casserole, stuffing, soup, garnish and many more.
The fresh lemon thyme is best added to poultry, seafood, vegetable, marinades, stews, soups, sauces, and stuffing while fresh sprigs of this herb make a lovely garnish. It is growing wild at the moment! Pick in the morning when the essential oils of the plants are most abundant, just as that of all herbs.

The lemon zest provides a deep lemon flavor to dishes!

The anchovies have a salty, rich umami flavour which really compliments the flavour of the meat!

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1.4 kilograms Australian Leg of Lamb, bone in
• 4 cloves garlic
• 4 pieces anchovy fillets
• zest of one lemon
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves
• 2 cups water
• teaspoon iodised salt
• teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• ⅛ cup extra virgin olive oil

To Serve

• roast butternut pumpkin, potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots or parsnips
• steamed or boiled vegetables like peas, beans, brocolli or cauliflower
• mint sauce
• mint jelly

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (fan forced).
2. In a mortar and pestle, pound rosemary, lemon thyme, lemon zest, garlic and anchovies. Add extra virgin olive oil and combine together, until it form a paste. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and mix well.
3. Rub the marinade all over the top and sides of the leg of lamb.
4. In the baking pan, place the leg of lamb.
5. Add water to the bottom of the pan. And cover the baking dish.
6. Roast for 2 hours and 30 minutes (approximately).
7. Remove the cover and roast until golden brown with crispiness.
8. Let the lamb to rest for 10-15 minutes before carving.
9. Serve warm!

Note: 

• Bring the lamb out of the fridge before roasting. Make sure to give the meat a time to come in room temperature.
• Make a rich and tasty gravy using the pan juices from the lamb roast.

Fresh lemon

Fresh lemon

Fresh lemon

Rosemary in full bloom with the bee!

Rosemary in full bloom

Rosemary in full bloom!

Lemon thyme growing wild!

Lemon thyme growing wild!

Lemon thyme growing wild!

Deuteronomy 32:2
My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:

Mrs. Shirley Simmons