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Marinated Butterflied Lamb

(Image by TSL)

I’m currently on the Autoimmune Protocol, a nutrient-rich elimination diet that removes foods that irritate the gut, cause gut imbalance and activate the immune system. You can read more about the protocol and why I’m doing this here.

I’ve always maintained that there is a very fine line between a daring, sexy older woman and mutton dressed as lamb. (Joan Collins)

It’s action stations here at Casa TSL. We’re putting the house on the market. It’s been a reasonably speedy decision and we are being influenced by external forces – Easter and ANZAC Day fall in quick succession this year – so, we’re on a reasonably tight timeframe.

Still, I’m confident it’s the right decision. Now that the teenager has started university, there really is no need for us live so close to his old school.

Having said that, I don’t think I’ve ever really acknowledged to myself what a dreadful hoarder I am… (wonder where I get it from, Mum?) I have so much stuff! I’m trying to be ruthless as I work my way room by room. But, it’s hard!

So, now you know why posting may be a little less frequent over the coming few weeks…

When we were at the markets on Saturday, the lovely folks at Mirrool Creek Lamb were having a sale on their butterflied legs of lamb. Twenty dollars for a kilo-and-a-half of happy, hormone-free, pasture raised lamb. Bargain!

Butterflied lamb legs are a great way to get a wonderful cut of lamb cooked fast – there’s no bone to fiddle around with, and because it’s flatter after butterflying, it’s a much faster option than the traditional full leg roast. And, given all we’ve got going on at the moment – less time in the kitchen is a bonus.

This morning I pulled out my mortar and pestle, threw in a lot of garlic, some anchovies, some fresh rosemary and olive oil. Gave it all a good pound before massaging it into my lamb. Then, the meat was covered and bunged into the fridge to marinate away until we were ready for cooking. Truly, it could not have been easier.

Now, normally, I’m an advocate of barbecuing butterflied lamb. But, it just so happens our Mr Weber ran out of gas at the eleventh hour. Tonight’s lamb was oven-roasted. Almost as good!

We served our lamb with roast pumpkin and sautéed silver-beet (swiss chard). Seriously tasty and so easy…

Seriously Tasty Butterflied & Marinated Lamb

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy-peasey
  • Print
TSL ButterflyLegLamb
Ingredients

1 x boned, butterflied leg of lamb (about 1.5 kilos/3 1/2 ponds)
6 x cloves of garlic, peeled
8 – 10 anchovy filets
2 x Tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped finely
1/4 cup quality olive oil
1 x heaped teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Method

1) Chop your garlic and anchovies and throw them into a mortar and pestle for a good pounding (don’t panic if you don’t have a mortar and pestle – just chop a little more finely and mash together in a bowl) then add the chopped rosemary and olive oil. Pat your butterflied lamb dry and transfer to a dish that will fit in your fridge. With the fat side up and using a small paring knife, make several small slits in your lamb. Rub half the marinade over the surface of lamb, pushing some marinade into slits. Turn the lamb over and repeat. Cover the dish with cling film and refrigerate for up to five hours. Bring the lamb to room temperature for an hour before cooking.

2) Heat your oven to 200°C/400°F.

3) Sprinkle your salt and pepper evenly over the lamb. Place the lamb onto a baking tray and cook in the oven for 20-30 minutes until medium-rare (or a little longer if medium is preferred). Remove from the oven and rest loosely covered with foil for 15 minutes before carving.

Note: I used metal skewers through the meat to keep it flat when cooking

E N J O Y !