Minted Lamb with Braised Leeks and Carrots

Cooking time:     10 mins plus cooking time calculated by weight
Serves:                  6

What you need

2kg John Penny leg of lamb
handful mint leaves
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
6 shallots
6 baby leeks
250g carrots
300ml vegetable stock
2tbsp olive oil 
1tsp plain flour
300ml dry white wine or light red wine

How to cook

Heat the oven to Gas 5, 190°C, fan 170°C, 375°F and calculate cooking time - medium: 25 minutes per 500g plus 25 minutes; well done: 30 minutes per 500g, plus 30 minutes.

Using a sharp knife, make small deep slits all over the leg. Wrap a mint leaf around each piece of garlic and push into the slits in the lamb. Put the remaining mint to one side.

Place the shallots, leeks, carrots and stock in a roasting tin and place the lamb on top. Drizzle with oil and then roast in the preheated oven for the calculated time, checking after 1 hour.  If the vegetables are well cooked, remove and set aside so they don't burn (warm again in the oven just before serving).

Remove the lamb from the oven and lift it onto a serving plate before covering tightly with a sheet of foil. Leave the joint to rest for 15-20 minutes before carving.

To make the gravy first pour away the excess fat from the roasting tin and then place tin with the remaining lamb juices over a medium heat on the hob. Sprinkle with the flour and then stir for a few seconds.  Gradually add the wine and scrape up all of the caramelised juices from the base of the tin. Leave to simmer gently until it has reduced to a well-flavoured gravy.