British Roast Lamb Dinner

A leg of lamb should be nicely filled out with a solid layer of fat around the leg. If the leg is too large to fit into your pan, ask your butcher to cut through the lower 2 - 3 inches of bone and fold that back.

Or, ask him to remove the bone completely as is shown here.

Rinse and dry the lamb, then using a sharp knife cut a lot of small slits in the fat and skin. I generally put a cut every 2 - 3 inches. Insert a sliver of fresh garlic and a small sprig of fresh rosemary into each slit.

Put a scant tablespoon of olive oil over the top of the lamb and sprinkle with salt and ground black pepper.

Cover with foil, allowing room for expansion.

Place in a preheated oven, gas mark 6/400F/200C/moderately hot.

Cook for 25 minutes per pound plus 25 minutes. Remove the foil the final 45 minutes cooking time and baste before returning uncovered to the oven.

Over the summer there are literally dozens of fresh vegetables in season. Why not try your roast lamb with broccoli, carrots, roasted fennel, or a crisp salad.

A roasted potato, crispy and browned on the outside and soft and creamy on the inside, goes beautifully with any roast dinner. I've detailed how to make mouthwatering roast vegetables elsewhere.

I am sure there are other ways of using up leftover lamb, but we always have a shepherd's pie later in the week.