Roast leg of lamb with garlic mash & smoked yoghurt dressing

SERVES: 10

Smoked yoghurt dressing
You can make this a day in advance

manuka chips for smoking
1 cup thick Greek-style yoghurt
1?2 teaspoon salt
juice of 1-2 lemons
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Using a home smoker, place manuka chips in the bottom and fire them, allowing them to smoulder for about 5 minutes to build up a good head of smoke. If you don’t have a smoker, line a wok with foil then add the wood chips. Place a wire rack over the chips.

Place the yoghurt in a wide, shallow bowl, over a slightly larger bowl filled with ice cubes. (This is fiddly but necessary, in order to prevent the yoghurtfrom heating and curdling.)

Place the stacked bowls in the smoker for 5 minutes. If using a wok, place on the rack then cover the wok tightly with a lid or foil. Place over high heat for 5 minutes or until the chips are smoking then remove from the heat and set aside for 5 minutes.

Remove the yoghurt. Whisk in the salt, lemon juice and oil then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve at room temperature.

For the lamb
2.5kg leg of lamb, bone in
8 sprigs rosemary
2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2-3 anchovy fillets, thinly sliced
olive oil for brushing
4 beetroot, washed
12 fresh artichokes (or 12 preserved artichoke hearts)

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Use a paring knife to cut 8 deep slits in the lamb, twisting the blade to open each slit a little. Pluck the tips from the rosemary sprigs (reserve the rest for the gravy). Place a garlic slice on top of a rosemary tip then wrap an anchovy sliver around them. Force this bundle into one of the slits in the lamb then repeat with the remaining rosemary tips, garlic and anchovies.

Use a pastry brush to coat the lamb in oil then sprinkle liberally all over with salt. Place in a roasting tray with 1?4 cup water then roast, uncovered, for 30 minutes per kilo (so a 2.5kg leg of lamb needs 1 hour and 15 minutes). As the water dries up, top it up to avoid burning the meat deposits.

When the lamb has 45 minutes left to cook, place the beetroot around the lamb and roast until tender when pierced with a skewer.

Meanwhile, using kitchen scissors, trim all the outer leaves from the artichokes then use a teaspoon to scrape out the furry chokes. Cut the artichokes right down to their hearts then coat with oil and season with salt. When the lamb has 25 minutes left to cook, add the artichokes to the roasting dish and roast until tender when pierced with a skewer. If using preserved artichokes, simply warm through for 5 minutes. Remove the lamb and vegetables from the oven and set aside to rest, covered, for 30 minutes (reserve the fat in the tray).

Garlic mash
1.5kg Agria potatoes, peeled, quartered
10 cloves garlic
50g butter, cubed

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the potatoes in a small saucepan. Add enough water to just cover them, along with a good pinch of salt. Bring to the boil then boil gently for 10 minutes or until soft.

Meanwhile, place the unpeeled garlic cloves in a small baking dish then roast for about 10 minutes, taking care not to burn them. Peel and chop coarsely into nuggets.

Drain the potatoes, reserving the cooking water. Add the butter to the potatoes then mash vigorously, adding a little of the hot cooking water until you have a smooth, soft puree (a common mistake is to not add enough water). Fold through the garlic and keep warm.

For the gravy, salad & to serve
500ml beef stock (bought is fine)
3-4 tablespoons flour
125g watercress leaves
125g mesclun mix

Place the reserved rosemary sprigs in a saucepan with the beef stock. Bring to the boil then simmer for 10 minutes. Discard the rosemary.

Discard most of the fat from the roasting tray, leaving only about 3 tablespoons.

Place the tray on top of the stove, across two elements, both set at medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the tray then use a spoon to work the flour into the fat. Slowly pour in the rosemary-infused beef stock, mixing well, and allow the gravy to bubble and thicken. Strain into a serving jug and set aside.

Mix the watercress and mesclun together. Peel the beetroot and cut into thin wedges. Arrange these over the salad leaves then spoon over a little of the smoked yoghurt dressing. Serve the rest separately in a jug.

Present the leg of lamb on a large platter, surrounded by the artichokes. Carve at the table, for a traditional touch of theatre.