Poached lamb in milk
Poaching the lamb in milk results in a tender and succulent meat that melts in the mouth.
Ingredients
For the poached lamb
- 2kg/4lb 8oz lamb leg, bottom bone removed and top bone in
- 40²µ/1½´Ç³ú butter
- 10 sage leaves, chopped
- 1 litre/1¾oz full-fat milk
- 4 bay leaves
- 3 heads garlic, cloves separated
- 1 nutmeg, for grating
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve
For the roasted potatoes
- 4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 1kg/2lb 4oz new potatoes, left whole if small or cut in half
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 garlic cloves
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú spinach
- 4 baby artichokes, peeled and thinly sliced
Method
To make the poached lamb, preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Pierce the lamb leg all over with the tip of a sharp knife, tie up with cooking string and trim around the top bone. Season all over with salt and pepper.
Mix the butter and sage together in a small bowl. Heat a griddle pan and cook the lamb on all sides until browned all over. Leave to cool slightly and then rub the sage butter all over the lamb. Transfer to a roasting tin, pour in the milk and add the bay leaves and garlic. Grate over some nutmeg. Cook, uncovered, in the oven for 2–3 hours or until cooked to your liking. Remove the lamb from the tin, transfer the cooking liquor to a saucepan and reduce down to a sauce, if desired. Leave the lamb to rest.
Meanwhile, to make the roasted new potatoes, heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Once hot, add the potatoes and cook in the pan until lightly coloured, then add the garlic and bay. Transfer to a roasting tin, drizzle with more oil and roast in the oven for 35–40 minutes.
For the veg, heat the oil in another frying pan and once hot, add the spinach and artichokes. Cook until wilted and tender.
Serve the lamb with the new potatoes, spinach, baby artichokes and milk sauce, if desired.