Roast leg of lamb with lemon, rosemary and anchovy

It is really up to you how you want your lamb cooked. In the Murphy household, we roast ours for 1 hour and 25 minutes at 180 degrees and then leave it to rest for a good 20 minutes before serving. This generally suits those who like their lamb cooked medium. A few extra anchovy fillets, a few lemon zest strips and a sprig of mint make a nice garnish if you are planning on carving it at the table.

Rub the leg of lamb all over with the olive oil. Wrap each clove of garlic in an anchovy fillet. Make small cuts in the lamb at regular intervals with a sharp knife, just big enough to slip the wrapped garlic into.

Season well with salt and pepper and sprinkle the lemon zest and rosemary on top. Leave aside in a roasting tin to come to room temperature, while you preheat the oven to 180 degrees or equivalent.

Roast the lamb for around 40 minutes per 1kg. Cover and leave to rest for at least 20 minutes before serving.