At last, new Season Scottish Spring Lamb has arrived.

It is absolutely the most delicious lamb you will ever taste.

It needs minimum handling and the results are spectacular.

It may cost a bit more but buy from your local butcher…you will not be disappointed.

ROAST LEG OF SCOTTISH SPRING LAMB

Ingredients:

1.5 kilo-2 kilo leg Scottish Spring Lamb

1 -2 cloves garlic, new season if possible

2-3 anchovies preserved in olive oil

2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

Dry white wine

Method:

Take the lamb out of the fridge 3-4 hours before cooking.

Stud the lamb in 5-6 places and squeeze a small slither of garlic, a piece of anchovy and a sprig of rosemary into the incision.

Lay the lamb on a roasting tin and drizzle it with olive oil.

Season well with sea salt and black pepper and rub everything onto the lamb.

Set aside for 3-4 hours until ready to roast.

Method:

Pre-heat the oven 230 C / Gas 8.

Calculate the roasting time average 16 minutes per 500g for medium cooked lamb. Allow for 30 minutes to let it rest out of the oven, before you intend to carve it.

Place the roasting tin in the middle of the oven and roast the lamb for 15 minutes to seal it.

Lower the temperature to 200o C/Gas 6 and continue to roast.

Check the lamb 30 minutes before the allotted time, turn it round if it is more roasted on one side.

Add half glass of dry white wine and baste the lamb before returning to the oven.

It is cooked if you can push a metal skewer into the centre of the lamb and the juices run clear and the skewer feels warm on the back of your hand.

Remove the lamb and lay it on a warm tray and cover with foil to let it rest.

Now you can make a delicious gravy with the juices.

Skim off any excess fat from the roasting tin, with young lamb there wone be very much.

Place the roasting tin on a low heat and use a wooden spoon to loosen all the scrapings from the tin.

Add a glass of white wine and stir into the gravy letting it boil as you continue to scrape any crunchy residue.

Reduce for 5-8 minutes until all the wine has evaporated. Add any juices that have escaped from the lamb.

Taste and adjust seasoning.

Because the bone runs through the lamb it is sometimes tricky to carve. Make sure you use a sharp knife and start on the fleshiest side, cutting down towards the bone. Work round methodically