Roasted leg of lamb with shallot and chorizo stuffing recipe

Bored of the usual Sunday lunch dishes? Try this roasted leg of lamb with shallot and chorizo stuffing recipe for a Mediterranean twist on the classic lamb cooked dinner. You can ask your butcher to bone and butterfly a leg of lamb for you.

Ingredients (serves 6)

For the leg of lamb:

1.13 kg boneless leg of lamb, butterflied

4 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

1tbsp rosemary leaves

2tbsp flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped

1tsp freshly ground black pepper

1tbsp small mint leaves (or torn larger leaves)

2tbsp rapeseed oil

Half a lemon, juiced

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (to season)

For the chorizo stuffing:

150g breadcrumbs

4tbsp rapeseed oil

1 sprig rosemary

Half a red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

8 shallots, peeled and diced

3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped

1tsp thyme leaves

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

150g fresh chorizo, skinned and chopped into small chunks

2tbsp mint, chopped

2tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped

For the spiced shallot and cherry tomato sauce:

2tbsp rapeseed oil

4 shallots, peeled and chopped

1 clove of garlic, peeled and chopped

400g of cherry tomatoes, halved

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1tbsp mint, chopped

2tbsp fresh chives

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

To prepare the lamb:

Place the lamb in a baking dish and coat it well on all sides with the smashed garlic, rosemary, chopped parsley, mint, oil, lemon and cracked black pepper. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Take the lamb out of the refrigerator for 30 minutes before stuffing it – to bring it to room temperature.

To make the stuffing:

Toss the breadcrumbs with two tablespoons of rapeseed oil. Spread them on a baking sheet and toast for six to eight minutes, stirring once or twice, until they are golden brown.

Heat a medium pot over high heat for one minute. Add the remaining rapeseed oil, the rosemary and the chilli; let them sizzle in the oil about one minute. Stir in the shallots, garlic and thyme and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Turn the heat down to medium and cook for about 10 minutes, until the shallots are translucent.

Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and discard the rosemary. While the shallots are cooking, heat a medium sauté pan over high heat for two minutes. Crumble the chorizo into the pan, and sauté for about eight minutes, until the sausage is crisp and cooked through. Drain the chorizo of excess oil and add it to the bowl with the onions. Stir in the breadcrumbs, mint and parsley and combine well. Taste for seasoning.

To cook the lamb:

Preheat the oven to 175°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3.

Season the lamb on both sides with sea salt and a little freshly ground black pepper. Lay the meat on a cutting board, fat side down and open like a book. Spoon as much of the chorizo stuffing as you can (about half or a little more) on the right side of the lamb. Fold the left side over the stuffing, as if you’re closing a book. If some of the stuffing falls out, stuff what you can back in. Tie the lamb with butcher’s string at two-inch intervals to hold it together while roasting. Carefully place the lamb on a roasting rack set in a roasting pan.

Put the remaining chorizo stuffing into a small dish and set aside. Roast the lamb for one hour and 20 minutes, rest for 20 minutes. While lamb is resting, put the rest of the stuffing in the oven and cook for 15 minutes.

To make the spiced shallot and cherry tomato sauce:

Heat the oil in the pan and gently fry the shallots for three minutes, add the garlic, tomatoes, cayenne pepper and cook for five minutes or until the sauce has reduced slightly. Stir in the herbs and season to taste.

To serve, slice the lamb and serve with the tomato sauce.

Recipe courtesy of UK shallots