Luscious roast lamb

Endless chocolate eggs, slabs of simnel cake and heavenly hot cross buns might be tempting, but there’s only one treat that turns MasterChef judge Gregg Wallace’s head at Easter, and that’s roast lamb. “Roast lamb is my favourite roast meat,” says Wallace, who has just released a new book, MasterChef Cookery Course, with fellow TV host John Torode.

“I just love the succulent pink flesh with crispy fat on top.” he enthuses.

The famous foodie, who is back on BBC One with the new series of MasterChef, says the spring lunchtime classic is what he will be serving up for his family on Easter Sunday.

He has picked up a number of tips from his travels around the world to make the dish extra tasty.

“My top tip is to put anchovies over the lamb before you cook it – as the heat rises in the oven the anchovies melt, and leave the lamb tasting amazing,” he says. “I picked that up in Italy.”

Torode is also a huge fan of lamb and, for him, getting the roast potatoes just right is crucial.

“For wonderful Easter roast potatoes, score the skin of the flesh quite deep on both sides of your leg of lamb, then start cooking it,” suggests Torode.

“When you’re ready to cook your potatoes, take the lamb out of the tray, lay your pre-boiled potatoes in the roasting tray and put the leg of lamb on a cake rack over the top of the potatoes.”

Here are some recipes from the duo’s new book

Roasted leg of lamb

Serves six to eight

1.8kg (4lb) leg of lamb

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary

1tbsp olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3-4 whole bulbs of garlic, washed

6-8 whole echalion shallots, washed

For the gravy:

150ml red wine

450ml vegetable stock

1tbsp redcurrant jelly

Method: Preheat the oven to 190C (375F/gas mark 5). Place the lamb on a board and stud with rosemary.

Place the lamb in a roasting tin, drizzle over the oil, and season well. Scatter the whole garlic and shallots around the leg of lamb.

Roast for one hour 40 minutes for pink, and two hours for cooked through. Check the meat after one hour and baste. If the garlic and shallots look like they are tender and ready, then set aside. They can be added back to the roasting tin for the final 10 minutes to warm through.

When ready, remove the lamb to a carving board, cover with foil, and rest for ten minutes.

Spoon off any excess fat from the juices in the roasting tin. Place the roasting tin on the heat and add the wine, stock, and redcurrant jelly. Stir well to scrape all the sediment from the base of the pan.

Bring to the boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for ten minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour in the meat juices from the rested lamb. Adjust seasoning to taste. Pour, through a sieve if necessary, into a gravy boat. Serve with the roasted garlic, whole roasted shallots, and the gravy.

Stir fried spring greens and leeks

Serves six to eight

2 small leeks

500g spring greens

Vegetable oil

4tbsp pine nuts

4tbsp water

Salt and pepper

Method: Trim and wash two small leeks and diagonally slice into 2cm (¾inch) thick pieces. Finely shred the spring greens. Heat one teaspoon of vegetable oil in a large frying pan or wok, then add four tablespoons of pine nuts and stir-fry until golden.

Remove from the heat and drain on kitchen paper. Add two tablespoons more oil to the pan then add the leeks and stir-fry over medium heat until they are softening – for about three minutes.

Next, add the greens, salt and pepper and four tablespoons of water. Stir-fry for three minutes until the greens are tender. Top with pine nuts and season well.

Roasted baby carrots with lemon and cumin seeds

300g young bunched carrots

2tsp cumin seeds

½tsp sugar

Zest and juice of one lemon

2tbsp olive oil

Method: Trim and scrape the young bunched carrots, leaving a little of the green stem in place.

Place them in cold water to prevent them browning while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Drain the carrots and place them in a roasting tin along with the cumin seeds, sugar, zest and juice of a small lemon, and olive oil. Toss to coat.

Roast at 190C (375F/gas mark 5) for 30 to 35 minutes or until caramelised in places and just tender.