SPANISH ROAST LAMB

Ingredients
1.5 kg (3 ½ lb) leg of lamb
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
2 cloves of garlic finely sliced
1 wineglass of dry white wine
300 ml (½ pint) of water
2 tablespoons of wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon

Potatoes (the quantity just depends on how much you want to cook with the lamb)
1 or 2 large onions
4 or 5 whole garlic cloves (or add less if you don't want such a strong garlic flavour)

Method
Preheat the oven to 230°C, 450°F, Gas Mark 8.

Rub the lamb with half of the olive oil, season it with salt and pepper and rub the thyme over the surface of the lamb. Let the lamb sit for an hour to absorb the flavours.

Peel and cut the potatoes into slices about 1cm thick and place on the bottom of a roasting tin. Slice the onions and mix them with the potatoes and peel the garlic but leave the cloves whole and add to the potatoes and onions.

Put the white wine, water, vinegar and lemon juice into a pan and bring to the boil.

Next make some slits in the leg of lamb and put some slices of garlic into them and then rub the lamb with the rest of the olive oil. Place the lamb on top of the potatoes, onions and garlic and pour about half of the liquid over the meat.

Place in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Then turn the heat down to 190ºC, 375ºF, Gas mark 5 and continue to roast it. Baste with the remaining liquid from time to time. If the potatoes soak up too much of the liquid you can make more.

For cooking time allow 15 minutes per 450g (1lb) if you like your lamb pink and 25 minutes per 450g if you like it well done in the manner that the Spanish like it!

Traditionally in Spain this would be served along with the potato that is cooked with it but you might choose to serve it with some roast potatoes and vegetables of your choice.

Serves 4-6