Lamb Roast with Dates (optional)

Ingredients

1 small leg of lamb or shoulder

Potatoes 4

Onions 4               

Carrots 4

Pumpkin 4 pieces

Garlic cloves 6 (or 6 Dates)

Tarragon 2 branches or thyme

Method

Peel garlic, make incisions in the meat and place a garlic clove inside. (or alternatively, use dates, seeded and cut in half)  Repeat the process 6 times.  Rub the meat with salt, pepper and tarragon.  Peel all the vegetables and cut in half.  Place a large baking tray on top of a hot plate with about 1 tbsp of olive oil.  Put in all the vegetables and heat them. (that will stop them from sticking later on)  Then brush the lamb with the remainder of the oil and place it in the middle of the baking tray.  Place the lot in a very hot oven (260-270 deg) for about 30 mins or until brown.  Take the tray from the oven, remove the excess fat, turn meat and vegetables and add a cup of water to the tray.  Return the lamb to the oven, reduce the heat to 250 deg and cook for another 30 mins.  Remove lamb and vegetables from baking tray and boil the liquid to reduce by half or until there is about ½ cup left.  Season again if necessary.  This liquid will be the sauce you can pour over the meat once it is sliced. 

More Ingredients

Bay leaves 2

Peppercorns crushed

Salt       

Olive oil 2 tbsp