Baked Lamb with Prunes by Jamie Oliver
8 servings
150 minutes
This recipe is a true embodiment of British gastronomic elegance, inspired by Jamie Oliver's style. Lamb baked with prunes gains an exquisite depth of flavor, where the juicy meat is infused with sweet fruity notes and a hint of smoky bacon. Herbs and spices unfold during the roasting process, creating a harmony of aromas, while the potato soaked in meat juices becomes the perfect side dish. This dish, so traditional and soulful, is ideal for a family dinner or festive gathering when you want to delight guests with something special, warming, and rich.
1
Boil the potatoes in salted boiling water for 10-12 minutes, just until slightly tender.
- Potato: 1750 g
2
Drain the water, transfer the potatoes to a large baking dish (to make room for the meat). Slightly crush the potatoes with the convex side of a spoon - they should crack but not flatten. Add halved lemons, 5 sprigs of rosemary, and season with salt and pepper.
- Potato: 1750 g
- Lemon: 3 pieces
- Rosemary: 10 sprigs
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
3
Make 10 cuts across the lamb leg with the sharp tip of the knife, entering the meat slightly at an angle. The depth of the cuts should be about 4 cm, then they can be slightly widened with a finger.
- Leg of lamb: 3 kg
4
Tear the anchovies into two or three pieces. Cut the remaining rosemary sprigs into three parts. Slice the garlic into rounds. Use the tip of a knife to open the cuts from the pits on the prunes, and insert a piece of rosemary, anchovy, and garlic into each cavity. Wrap with a strip of bacon.
- Anchovies: 4 pieces
- Rosemary: 10 sprigs
- Garlic: 3 cloves
- Prunes: 10 pieces
- Bacon: 10 pieces
5
Insert the prepared plums into the 'pockets' of the meat, trying to bury them deep enough so they don't fall out during cooking.
6
Place the lamb on top of the potatoes, drizzle with olive oil all around, and season with salt and pepper.
- Leg of lamb: 3 kg
- Potato: 1750 g
- Olive oil: to taste
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
7
Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 1 hour and 45 minutes, basting with the resulting juice until a dark brown crust forms. Keep an eye on the rosemary sprigs sticking out of the lamb: if they start to burn, drizzle them with oil and push them deeper into the 'pockets'. Let it 'rest' for 10 minutes before serving.