By butterflying meat, it helps it to cook quicker and more evenly as well as giving a greater surface area for the marinade to have an effect on. This Spanish-inspired dish, which we use at Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School, is served with a This Spanish-inspired dish, with a garlicky Salsa verde. It works equally well with shoulder, chops or fillet. A boned leg of lamb can also be cubed, marinated and grilled on skewers. It can either be cooked in the oven, on an open braai, or in a kettlebraai. Serve with boiled potatoes, or a potato salad and roasted butternut, cole slaw or green salad. Also great in rolls or pita breads.

1 (1.5-2kg) leg of lamb, boned, and butterflied

Marinade

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 t paprika

2 T red wine vinegar, or juice of 1 lemon

2 t fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped

Black pepper

2t salt

1 T olive oil

Salsa verde

2 handfuls of oregano leaves

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 to 2 red chilies, chopped

Handful of parsley

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

2T fennel seeds, toasted and corsly ground

2T lemon juice

  • Trim the leg of excess fat . Mix all the ingredients of the marinade. Rub all over the lamb and place in a shallow dish. Leave the lamb to marinate for as long as posable (preferably overnight in the fridge)

On the braai

  • Make a fire on one side of a kettlebraai.
  • Seer the leg on both sides over the coals. Move to the opposite side of the fire, skin side down and cover with the lid. Cook for ±40 minutes or until an internal of ±55°C is reached.
  • Remove from the heat and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing thinly and dressing with the salsa.

In the oven

  • Preheat the oven to 240°C. For lamb to be rare, it should have an internal temperature of 50°C, medium 55°C to 60°C, and well done 70°C. Remember that the internal temperature will continue to rise while the meat rests, so remove the meat from the oven earlier rather than later.
  • Sear the meat at 240°C for the first 15 minutes and then roast at 180°C for the remaining time. When you are ready to cook, season the lamb well with salt and pepper. Place the lamb in a roasting tray and cook for the required time (±20 minutes per 500g).

Salsa verde

  • Put all the ingredients into a food processor and blend for 1–2 minutes, or until smooth. Season to taste, pour into a serving bowl, then cover.