Slow Roasted Lamb with Allioli
Allioli is the Catalan version of aïoli, the delicious Provençal garlic mayonnaise. In Catalonia "all i oli" is usually served on the side with fish, meat or seafood.
Serves 6
- Whole leg of lamb, weighing about 1.8kg
- 6 whole bulbs garlic, papery outer skin removed
- 2 tbsp Belazu Catalonian Extra Virgin olive oil
- 310-510ml fino (dry) sherry
- ½ x 284ml tub fresh lamb stock (the rest reserved for the potatoes, below)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the potatoes:
- 1.15kg Desiree potatoes, peeled
- ½ x 284ml tub fresh lamb stock
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the allioli:
Preheat the oven to 220°C, 425°F, gas mark 7. Heat the olive oil for the lamb in a large pan and brown the leg of lamb all over. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, put in an oiled roasting tin and roast in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes.
After this time, remove the lamb from the oven and reduce the heat to 170°C, 325°F, Gas mark 3. Add 310ml of the sherry to the lamb, cover tightly with foil, and cook on the bottom shelf of the oven for 4 hours, basting every 30 minutes with the sherry. Add the 6 garlic bulbs after 2 hours. Check that the sherry is not drying up, and add more if necessary.
While you are cooking the lamb, make the potatoes and the allioli. Cut the potatoes into very thin rounds, put in a large pan of salted water and bring to the boil. Drain, place in a shallow oiled oven proof dish, season with salt and freshly ground pepper, then add the half tub of lamb stock and sprinkle over the thyme leaves. Place in the oven on the shelf above the lamb for the last 40 minutes of the cooking time, after which time the potatoes will be golden and will have absorbed all the lamb stock.
While the potatoes are cooking, make the allioli. Pureé the crushed garlic with the egg in a food processor, then mix the olive oil and tablespoon of lemon juice together in a jug and slowly pour into the egg mixture with the motor running. Add half a teaspoon of salt and some freshly ground black pepper and leave the motor on for a further 10 seconds, then transfer to a bowl, ready to serve.
When the lamb is ready, remove it from the oven and transfer to a wooden board. To make the gravy, add the remaining half tub of lamb stock to the roasting tin, bring to the boil, season and pour into a bowl, ready to serve. Carve the lamb and serve with the gravy and potatoes, with a healthy dollop of allioli on top.
(Sainsbury’s magazine)
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