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www.janbilton.co.nz

Rosemary Roast Lamb with 2-Mushroom sauce

1.5kg lamb leg
4 teaspoons dried rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon flaky iodised salt
2 teaspoons cracked black peppercorns
1/3 cup olive oil
Two-mushroom Sauce:
2 cups boiling water
20g dried sliced shiitake mushrooms
4 tablespoons butter-flavoured rice bran oil
250g Swiss Brown mushrooms, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons dried rosemary leaves
1 1/2 cups beef stock

3/4 cup red wine

Ask your butcher to leave the shank end of the lamb intact — ie not cut. Some butchers prepare carvery lamb legs that are easy to carve. Excellent served with a pinot noir.

Place the roast fat-side up in a heavy roasting pan. Combine the rosemary, the salt, pepper and oil. Rub the mixture all over the roast. This can be done 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

To make the sauce, pour the boiling water over the dried mushrooms in a bowl. Soak for 20 minutes. Strain, reserving the water. Squeeze the mushrooms dry and coarsely chop.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the rice bran oil in a large saucepan. Add the fresh mushrooms and sauté, until browned. Add the shiitake mushrooms and garlic. Stir for 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Combine the flour with the rosemary in a small bowl. (The sauce can be prepared to this stage 1 day ahead.)

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Roast the lamb for 30 minutes then reduce the heat to 160°C. Roast for a further 1 – 1 1/4 hours, until cooked to your preference.

Place on a platter and tent with foil. Drain any fat from the roasting pan.