This is a Greek-style Easter dish of roast lamb served on a bed of long-grain rice. The lamb is slow roasted, making it so tender it can be flaked with a fork.
Prep time 45 minutes/Cook time 120 minutes/Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
4 tbsp olive oil
1 whole leg of lamb (1.7-1.9kg [3 ¾-4 1/3 lbs])
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic bulbs, halved horizontally
2 sprigs rosemary
4 sprigs fresh oregano, plus a handful of chopped leaves, to serve
1 cinnamon stick
5 whole cloves
6 fresh bay leaves
5 anchovy fillets, drained
a handful of black olives
225g (1/2 lb) plum tomatoes, quartered
375ml (1/2 bottle) white wine
500g (1 lb) easy-cook long-grain rice
450ml (1 4/5 cups) fresh chicken stock
juice of 1 lemon, plus more to serve
Method:
Pre-heat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan/275F/gas mark 5).
Heat the olive oil in a sturdy roasting tin over a high heat. Season the lamb liberally and when the oil is hot, brown the lamb on all sides until you have achieved a good colour all over (about 10 minutes in all). Remove the lamb from the pan and set aside; lower the heat and add the onion, garlic, rosemary, oregano, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaves and fry for 5-8 minutes until the onions are softened and the garlic is beginning to caramelise.
Next add the anchovies, olives and tomatoes, followed by the white wine and bring to the boil. Sit the lamb on top of everything and wrap the pan very tightly in foil. Transfer to your pre-heated oven and cook for 22 minutes per 500g (1 lb) for medium, or 24 minutes per 500g (1 lb) for well done (between 75-90 minutes).
When the time is up, take the lamb out of the oven and increase the temperature to its maximum setting. Remove the foil covering the lamb, return to the oven and cook, uncovered for a further 15 minutes to colour the lamb.
Once the lamb is done, remove and set aside to rest under foil for 15 minutes. Lift the vegetables from the roasting tin into a large saucepan using a slotted spoon (discard the rosemary and oregano). Squeeze the garlic cloves into the pan, discarding the skin, but keep the cinnamon sticks and bay leaves. Add the rice to the pan.
Pour the remaining liquid from the roasting tin into a large measuring jug and skim off the excess fat. Add the stock to this and about 600ml (2 ½ cups) boiling water, to make up to 1.3 litres (5 ¼ cups) of liquid, then pour this into the pan with the vegetables and rice, adding 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then cover, reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes.
Turn off the heat and leave the rice to steam for a further 10 minutes, to ensure it absorbs all the liquid. Fluff up the rice using a fork, discarding the cinnamon sticks and bay leaves, and stir through the lemon juice and remaining oregano. Serve with more lemon to squeeze over, if you like.
Carve the lamb and serve on top of the pilaf, with a bowl of tzatziki to accompany.
