How to Cook Lamb Leg with Preserved Lemon Pesto

  • Prep time
  • Difficulty easy
  • Serves 6
lamb leg cooked with lemon pesto

Ingredients

  • for the lamb
  • 1 x 1.6kg Leg Of Lamb
  • A few fresh oregano leaves or a pinch of dried oregano
  • 2 middle eastern style preserved lemons roughly chopped, pips discarded
  • 1 red chilli finely diced
  • A pinch of smoked paprika
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 25ml virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp. runny honey
  • for the pesto
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 75g pine nuts lightly toasted
  • 1 bunch of basil, leaves only
  • 30ml olive oil
  • 75g parmesan finely grated
  • Freshly milled black pepper to taste

Lamb Leg Method

  1. Score the skin of the lamb.
  2. Lay the lamb, skin side up, in a shallow dish.
  3. Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a bowl and pour over the lamb, massaging it in well.
  4. Cover and marinate in the fridge overnight.
  5. Place the coals onto one side of the BBQ then fire up following the manufacturers instructions.
  6. Preheat the barbecue to 200°C placing the cover on once the initial flames have died down.
  7. Sear the lamb all over on the hot side of the BBQ where the burning coals are, this is using a direct heat method.
  8. Next, roast the lamb using the indirect cooking method by placing the lamb on to the opposite side of the BBQ from the burning coals and closing the lid for 1 hour 45 minutes, reaching a core temperature of 58ºC.
  9. Leave to rest 20 minutes before carving.

Preserved Lemon Pesto Method

  1. In a pestle and mortar blend together the garlic, pine nuts & basil to a paste.
  2. Add the parmesan & oil then mix well.
  3. Season with pepper & reserve.
  4. Alternatively place all ingredients in a blender & pulse to a coarse puree.