ingredients
serves 4-6
1 leg of lamb, weighing 4-5 lb/1.8-2.3 kg
2-3 Cloves of garlic
4 lb/1.80 kg maincrop potatoes
peeled and sliced quite thinly
1 tsp dried rubbed thyme
2 bay leaves, crushed fine
1/2 tsp salt
good pinch of freshly ground
black pepper
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
up to 110 g (4 oz ) butter
method
1. Peel and slice the garlic, then cut it into 'nails'. Insert these into the leg of lamb, all over, in slashes made in the fat with a sharp knife, between the muscles and around the bone.
2. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F, gas mark 6.
3. Mix the herbs, seasoning and onion together.
4. Butter an ovenproof dish and lay half the potatoes in it. Sprinkle on half the seasoning then the rest of the potatoes in a layer, topped with the remaining seasoning. Dot with half the rest of the butter. Pour on enough warm water to just cover the potatoes and put them in the oven for l - l 1/2 hours.
5. Mix the rest of the butter with a good pinch each of salt and pepper and smear this over the leg of lamb.
6. Remove the cooked potatoes from the oven and place the lamb on top. Return it to the oven and cook it for 15-18 minutes per lb/455 g, depending on how well cooked you like the meat.
let the meat relax for 5-10 minutes before carving and serving.
