Spiced Leg of Lamb with Potatoes Boulangere, Green Beans with Punchpooran

This is a very popular recipe in our house and one i love doing when we have people coming over. It is easy too, so I don’t have to be slaving away in the kitchen when people arrive.   This is family food at its best.-

Serves 5-6

1 leg or shoulder of lamb

2 cloves of garlic peeled and roughly chopped

1 shallot roughly shopped

2 tbsp of garam masala spice mix

2-3 tbsp coconut or olive oil

8 medium white potatoes or a mix of white and sweet potatoes

400ml vegetable stock

2tsp fresh thyme chopped

 

Oven at 200C

Peel the potatoes and thinly slice

Layer the potatoes, seasoning well as you go in a roasting tin big enough to hold the leg of lamb. Sprinkle over the chopped thyme.

Splash the stock over the potatoes.

Add the oil garlic shallot and spices to a blender and blend to a rough paste.

Pierce the lamb and lay out on a board and spread the paste over both sides.

Season well with salt and pepper.

Lay the lamb on top of the potatoes and cover the pan with foil and roast for 20 mins per lb and 20 minutes over for medium.  After about an hour, remove the oil and press the potatoes down to ensure they are still in the stock. Replace the foil lid and continue to cook.

If you want to slow roast it then turn the oven down to 150C and roast for about 4-4/12 hours until the lamb is falling off the bone.

Remove the lamb to a warm plate, cover and let rest. Keep the potatoes warm in the oven while you prepare the beans below.

Green Beans with punchpooran

This is a whole mixed spice blend of cumin fennel mustard nigella and fenugreek seeds. If you can’t get this, substitute with equal quantities (1/4 tsp) of each of the above.  It is delicious addition to the green beans.

500gr green beans, washed and trimmed

1 tbsp punchpooran

Zest and juice of ½ lemon

2 tbsp olive oil

Blanch the green beans for 3 minutes, plunge into ice cold water and drain then set aside.

Toast the punchpooran on a hot pan until the aromas release then tip into a bowl and let cool

Add the lemon zest, juice, olive oil and mix to combine

When ready to serve add 2 tbsp hot water to a frying pan and tip in the beans to reheat.

Add to your serving bowl and drizzle over the dressing