How to Cook Seven-Hour Leg of Mutton, Red Wine & Salsa Verde

  • Prep time
  • Cook time
  • Difficulty easy
  • Serves 4
leg of mutton, red wine & salsa verde cooked

Ingredients

  • For The Mutton
  • 1 x 1.6 kg bone in leg of mutton
  • 20 ml olive oil
  • 2 tsp. sea salt
  • 12 smashed cloves garlic
  • 2 large onions cut into rounds
  • 1 lemon cut into thin slices
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Sprig fresh thyme
  • Sprig fresh rosemary
  • 375 ml red wine
  • For The Green Sauce
  • Small bunch fresh mint
  • Small bunch flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 tbsp. capers
  • 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 4 anchovy fillets
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 100 ml extra virgin olive oil
  • Juice of ½ a lemon

Method for the Mutton

  1. Massage the meat with the oil, lemon, herbs & spices, the garlic, sea salt & marinate overnight in the chiller.
  2. Pre heat oven to 210°C fan /230°C (Gas Mark 8).
  3. Take a large casserole dish big enough to hold the mutton & roast for 25 minutes until well browned then remove onto a clean tray.
  4. In the same dish brown the onions & garlic with the herbs, lemon & spices from the marinade then lay the mutton on top of the onions.
  5. Next pour the red wine into the dish then cover with a sheet of damp greaseproof paper & a tight fitting lid or foil to seal.
  6. Reduce heat to 120°C fan /140°C (Gas Mark 1).
  7. Cook for 7 hours until meltingly tender then remove the lid; turn up the heat to 210°C fan /230°C (gas 8) & roast for a further 15 minutes until rich & caramelised.
  8. Pass the cooking juices through a fine sieve & boil to rich, glossy gravy (the gravy can be thickened with a little corn flour if desired).

Method for the Salsa Verde

  1. Put all the ingredients into the blender and blend until smooth. Put into a sealable jar and pop into the fridge if making in advance.

Serve straight from the oven alongside a big bowl of Parmesan enriched soft polenta, the roasting gravy & freshly made green sauce.