Butterfly Lamb

Can there be a better way to cook lamb in Spring than when it's butterflied? Simply order a leg of lamb from your butcher, ask him to remove the bone and then trim the meat so that it is butterflied. It will lie flat and cooking time is much quicker. You will have to judge the quantity of meat needed.

A RECIPE IDEA

Whizz up a marinade of red wine, garlic, anchovy fillets, capers and olive oil. If you have the time, let the marinade steep into the meat overnight but if not, a few hours will do.

Heat the oven to a high temperature, (GM7, 220 C). Sear the skin of the joint first and then cook for about forty minutes. The meat should be pink. You can also barbecue a butterflied leg of lamb and there would be no need to sear the skin first.

Remove the meat from the tray and let it stand for ten minutes. Meanwhile, deglaze the juices in the tray, add some more red wine and boil rapidly to make a delicious gravy.

Slice the meat thickly and you will be surprised how far it goes. Serve with potatoes that have been thickly sliced, dotted with butter and slices of garlic and cooked slowly in stock. Beetroot puree provides a great splash of colour. Cook beetroot until soft, peel off the skin and then puree until smooth. Add butter, salt and pepper. Reheat.