Rolled Lamb Breast with Herbs, Lemon and Tomatoes
- 2 lamb or hogget breasts (about 500g each)
- 4 ripe tomatoes, chopped into 1cm pieces
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- Finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- A small bunch of parsley, leaves picked and roughly chopped
- 3 sprigs of mint, leaves picked and roughly chopped
- A small bunch of coriander, roughly chopped
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Take the lamb out of the fridge around 30 minutes before cooking, to bring it to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 230C/220C Fan/Gas 8. Put the tomatoes, tomato purée, lemon zest and juice, garlic and herbs into a bowl, mix together well and season with salt and pepper.
Lay the lamb breast out flat, flesh side up, on a clean surface. Smear the tomato mixture evenly all over the surface to cover generously. Starting from a short side, roll up the lamb to form a fat roll. Tie securely with butcher’s string every two to three centimetres, then season the outside with salt and pepper.
Place the rolled lamb breast in a roasting tray and roast in the oven for about 30 minutes until deep golden brown on the outside. Add a glass of water to the tray and lower the oven to 170C/150C Fan/Gas 3. Roast the lamb for a further two hours until the meat is tender.
Now turn the oven up to 230C/220C Fan/Gas 8 for 15 minutes to crisp up the outside of the lamb.
Take the tray from the oven and leave the lamb to rest in a warm place for five to 10 minutes, then remove the string and carve into slices. I like to serve it with five-root bash and/or roast purple sprouting broccoli with kimchi butter.
Swaps
For something a bit different, try stuffing the lamb with a mixture of black pudding and gooseberries.
