BAKED LEG OF LAMB IN HERB PARCEL
This recipe was inspired by Katie Brancatisano, one of the owners of Torello Farm. Katie raved about a Greek lamb leg recipe she’d baked in a parcel of baking paper and foil. Here is my rendition of the said recipe enclosing a liberal mix of fresh herbs with the lamb. It’s a set and leave-alone cook, making it ideal for mid week or entertaining without being a slave to the oven.
The parcel captures all the moisture and aromas, resulting in herbal infused, moist textured meat. You could easily replace the lamb leg with shoulder of lamb. Serve with baked potatoes following the same cooking method (see end of page) as the lamb leg, and you’ll enjoy herby infused baked potatoes too.
serves 4
1.2kg-1.5kg Torello Farm free range leg of lamb
1 teaspoon sea salt
black pepper
4 garlic cloves, peeled, halved lengthways
half bunch thyme
6 sprigs rosemary
half bunch oregano
2 fresh bay leaves, split in half
half a lemon, sliced
juice of half a lemon
extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle
Remove the meat from the fridge an hour before cooking. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).
Have ready two lengths of foil and two long pieces of baking paper, each about 80cm long. Place one length of foil width-ways and the other piece on top, lengthways, to form a cross. Repeat with the pieces baking paper placing on top of the foil ‘cross’.
Rub the lamb with salt and generous grinding of black pepper. Using a sharp pointed knife, pierce about eight 1cm deep incisions evenly all over the meat. Push the sliced garlic into the incisions.
Lay half the thyme across the centre of the cross of baking paper, then top with half the oregano sprigs, rosemary sprigs and bay leaves. Place the lamb on top of the bed of herbs. Spread the remaining herbs and lemon slices over the top of lamb.
Fold over opposite ends of paper to enclose the lamb, then repeat the folding and wrapping with the foil to seal the lamb completely. Transfer to a roasting dish to fit snugly with the folded foil seam facing up. Bake for 3½ hours then carefully unfold the foil and baking paper being aware of escaping steam. Check if the meat easily pulls away from the bone. If not, re-wrap and return to the oven for another 30 minutes.
Turn the meat over, so that the top is now sitting in the cooking juices. Wrap again and leave to rest for 15 minutes. Unwrap the foil and paper. Transfer the meat to a serving platter. Strain and transfer the remaining cooking juices into a jug. Drizzle the lemon juice and a little olive oil over the lamb. Pull away the meat with fork and sharp knife, to serve. Pass around reserved cooking juices, as desired
Serve warm with green salad and baked potatoes (see below).
POTATOES BAKED IN HERB PARCEL
1kg small King Edward potatoes
1 teaspoon sea salt
black pepper
4 garlic cloves, peeled, halved lengthways
half bunch thyme
6 sprigs rosemary
half bunch oregano
2 fresh bay leaves, split in half
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).
Following the similar steps as for the lamb, have ready two lengths of foil and two long pieces of baking paper, each 40cm long. Place one length of foil width-ways and the other piece on top lengthways to form a cross. Repeat with the pieces baking paper placing on top of the foil ‘cross’.
Lay half the thyme across the centre of the cross of baking paper, then top with half the oregano sprigs, rosemary sprigs and bay leaves. Place the potatoes on top of the bed of herbs, in a single layer. Spread the garlic and remaining herbs over the top to cover.
Fold over opposite ends of paper to enclose the potatoes, then repeat the folding and wrapping with the foil to seal the potatoes completely. Transfer to a roasting dish with the folded foil edges facing up. Bake for 1½ hours then carefully unfold the foil and baking paper being aware of escaping steam. Fold back the foil and paper to the side edges. Return potatoes to the oven and bake a further 20 minutes, until skin becomes lightly golden and potatoes are cooked through.
Recipe by Fiona Hammond, May 2022
