CHRISTINE CAPENDALE
CHRISTINE CAPENDALE
CHRISTINE CAPENDALE

Slow Roasted Leg Of Lamb With Roasted Onions And Chimichurri

1

  • Overview
  • Ingredients
    21 items
  • Directions

A succulent slow-roasted leg of lamb served with caramelized onions and a vibrant chimichurri sauce.

DID YOU KNOW? Chimichurri is also called Argentinian pesto. It is an uncooked sauce served with grilled or roasted meat – traditionally served with beef, but it works well with chicken and lamb too. You can buy chimichurri from some supermarkets and deli’s if you don’t want to make your own.

  • 2 kg leg of lamb
  • Salt and black pepper for seasoning
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 60ml fresh rosemary
  • 15ml brown sugar
  • 250ml white wine
  • 30ml red wine vinegar
  • 15g flat-leaf parsley
  • 50ml olive oil
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 4 onions

Chimichurri

  • 20ml onion
  • 30ml red wine vinegar
  • 1 jalapeño chili
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 15g flat-leaf parsley
  • 15g fresh coriander
  • 5g oregano
  • 50ml olive oil
  • 5ml honey
  • Salt and black pepper for seasoning

  • Preheat the oven to 160 °C.
  • Place the lamb into a large roasting dish and season with salt and pepper.
  • Use your hands to rub the garlic over the meat and then rub with the rosemary and brown sugar.
  • Pour the wine or lamb stock into the roasting dish, squeeze the lemon juice over the meat and sprinkle with the zest.
  • Cover the roasting dish with a lid, or tightly with foil, and roast for 2 and ½hours, basting the meat occasionally.
  • Remove the lid or foil from the meat and roast in the oven for another 45 minutes until the meat is golden brown and very tender. Add the thick onion slices to the roasting dish for the last 30 minutes of the cooking time and baste the meat and the onions at least twice.
  • If needed, you can drizzle a bit of olive oil on the onions during roasting.
  • To make the chimichurri, mix together the chopped onion, red wine vinegar, jalapeño and garlic and stir well. Add the herbs, olive oil and honey and whizz together in a blender. The sauce must still be a little chunky. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Spoon some of the chimichurri over the roasted meat and onions once they are cooked.
  • To serve, place the carved meat, roasted onion slices and some fresh herbs on a large platter and serve with the rest of the chimichurri sauce on the side.

TIP: Skim off any fat from the pan juices in the roasting dish and drizzle over the meat when serving OR make a gravy with the pan juices.