SLOW-ROASTED LAMB IN BREAD DOUGH

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When Cape Town caterer Annalize Buchanan ([email protected]) entertains you can be sure there’ll be an abundance of food and fun

SLOW-ROASTED LAMB IN BREAD DOUGH

INGREDIENTS

For the slow-roasted lamb:

  • 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1,5–2kg leg of lamb
  • 5 garlic cloves, quartered
  • 1 lemon, cut in half
  • 1 whole head garlic, cut in half
  • olive oil
  • salt
  • ground black pepper

For the glossy lamb and mint gravy:

  • juices from the slow-cooked lamb
  • 30ml flour
  • 1 litre lamb stock or beef stock
  • 30ml mint, chopped

For the bread dough:

  • 725ml lukewarm water
  • 15ml active dry yeast
  • 15ml sugar
  • 950g bread flour
  • 15ml salt
  • 120g unsalted butter, softened

To assemble the dish:

  • 450g caramelised onions
  • 45ml grainy mustard

METHOD

The day before your party:
1. Preheat the oven to 220°C.
2. Strip the leaves off a sprig of rosemary. Make deep incisions into the lamb with a sharp knife and stuff with the rosemary and quartered garlic cloves.
3. Add the remaining rosemary sprigs to a well-greased roasting dish and place the lamb on top. Squeeze one half of the lemon over the meat. Pack both halves of the lemon and the whole head of garlic around the meat.
4. Pour olive oil liberally over the meat and rub it in with your hands. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast, uncovered, for 25 minutes.
5. Remove the lamb from the oven and reduce the temperature to 160°C. Cover tightly with tin foil and roast for about 4 hours.
6. Remove the rosemary stalks from the roasting pan. Squeeze the remaining juice out of the lemon halves into the pan and discard the skins. Squeeze the creamy garlic purée out of the garlic heads into the pan, removing and discarding the papery skins.
7. Remove the lamb from the pan, allow to cool and refrigerate.
8. Use the roasting pan from the lamb to make the gravy: Place the pan on the stove over high heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring for 3–4 minutes or until bubbling. Slowly add the stock to the pan, and while stirring, cook for 6 minutes or until thickened.
9. Allow the gravy to cool and refrigerate.

The day of your party:
1. Remove the lamb from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature.
2. To make the bread dough: mix 125ml of the water with the yeast and sugar until foamy. Let it sit for 5 minutes until it looks creamy.
3. Put the yeast mixture, the rest of the water and half the flour into a mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Mix slowly until blended.
4. Add the rest of the flour, increase the speed and periodically scrape down the sides of the bowl until the dough comes together. (If it doesn’t, add 1T flour at a time until it does.) Add the salt and mix at a medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add the butter, 1T at a time. (The dough may come apart, but mixing will pull it back together.)
5. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and shape into a ball, then place it in a large oiled bowl. Turn the dough so it’s coated in the oil, then cover with plastic wrap and allow to stand at room temperature for 45 minutes to an hour until it’s doubled in size.
6. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the lamb on a board and rub it with the caramelised onions and mustard.
7. Roll out the bread dough on a floured surface. Place the lamb on top and wrap it in the dough, letting the leg bone stick out for carving. Place it on a greased baking tray and bake until golden brown.
8. Meanwhile, reheat the gravy, adding the mint.
9. Serve the lamb on a wooden board, allowing guests to carve for themselves with the glossy lamb and mint gravy on the side.

This recipe serves 10.