Recipes

Servings

Ingredients

Lamb

10ml black peppercorns

5 cloves

2½ml cardamom seeds

1¼ml fenugreek seeds

5ml fennel seeds

15ml cumin seeds

1 star anise

½ cinnamon stick

½ nutmeg, grated

1¼ ground ginger

15ml sumac

4ml salt

4 garlic cloves, peeled

25g fresh ginger, grated

40g coriander, stems & leaves chopped

60ml lime juice

120ml lime juice

120ml ground nut oil

1leg of lamb bone-in, about 2.5kg

Crunchy herbs

frying oil, as needed

2 large bunches of mint, leaves only and roughly chopped

2 large bunches of parsley, leaves only and roughly chopped

2 sprigs rosemary, leaves only and roughly chopped

30g each mustard & caraway seeds

Leg of lamb with crunchy herbs

Method

1. Place the first 8 ingredients in a cast iron pan and dry roast on medium-high heat for a minute or two, until the spices begin to pop and release their aromas. Don’t burn them.
2. Add the nutmeg, ginger and paprika, toss for a few more seconds to heat them through, then transfer to a spice grinder. Process the spices to a uniform powder. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in all the remaining ingredients apart from the lamb.
3. Using a small sharp knife, score the leg of lamb in a few places, 1.5cm deep through the fat and meat to allow the marinade to seep in. Place the lamb in a large roasting tin and rub the marinade all over the meat; use your hands to massage the meat well.
4. Place the meat in a bag and vacuum seal. Marinade for 8 hours or overnight.
5. Heat the sous-vide to 55ºC. When the water reaches the target temperature, lower the bagged lamb into the water bath (making sure the bag is fully submerged) and cook for 24 hours.
6. Preheat the oven to 230ºC fan. Tear off a large sheet of aluminium foil and roll it into a ball. Remove the lamb from the bag and Sicard the cooking juices. Put it on the baking sheet and prop the leg up on top of it to expose the entire surface of the leg of lamb to the air flowing around the oven, resulting in an even, crisp crust. Transfer the lamb to the oven and let it sear for about 10 to 15 minutes – the meat is already cooked, so just remove it when it looks good to you. Alternatively, you can also brown the meat on a braai for a smokier flavour.
7. While the lamb is in the oven heat at least 3cm of canola or other frying oil in a cast iron pot. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Fry a handful of the mint, parsley and rosemary leaves and the seeds until they are glassy and crispy. Use a slotted spoon baking sheet. Be careful because fresh herbs are full of water, so they’ll splatter and pop upon contact with the hot oil. Repeat process until all your herbs are glassy and crispy.
8. Transfer the lamb to a serving dish and sprinkle with the herbs and seeds.

Note: The cooked lamb can be chilled in the bag in an ice water bath for 20 minutes and then refrigerated for up to 1 week. Reheat the lamb in the sous-vide for at least 1 hour at 55ºC before browning in the oven.