Ingredients

• 1 leg of lamb
• bone in
• approximately 2kg/4½lb
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• peeled
• rosemary
• freshly picked
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• olive oil
• 1-1½kg/2-3lb roasting potatoes
• peeled and cut into chunks
• large bunch of fresh coriander
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• peeled and chopped
• 1-2 anchovies
• in oil
• ½oz pine nuts
• toasted
• ½oz parmesan cheese
• grated
• olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• Using a sharp knife
• prick the leg of lamb all over
• about 20 times and about 2cm/1in deep.
• Cut the garlic cloves into thin strips and place one slice of garlic into each hole with a few rosemary leaves. Continue until all the holes are full. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and drizzle with oil.
• Place the lamb directly onto the oven rack and place a roasting tray directly underneath on the rack below. This is to catch the fat as it drips from the lamb. Roast in the pre-heated oven for 1 hour 15 minutes or until cooked to taste
• basting frequently.
• Par-boil the potatoes. Drain them
• then return them to the pan and shake to roughen the edges.
• After the first 15-20 minutes of cooking the lamb
• carefully tip the potatoes into the roasting tray underneath the lamb
• which will now contain the hot fat from the lamb above.
• Coat the potatoes in the fat then roast with the lamb until golden and cooked through
• turning once or twice.
• To make the pesto
• put all the ingredients for the coriander pesto
• except the oil and seasoning
• into a food processor. Blend
• gradually adding oil until you reach the desired consistency. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve with the lamb and roast potatoes.