Slow Cooked Lamb with Salsa Verde (with Two Easy Side Salads)
This Slow-Cooked Lamb with Salsa Verde, rubbed with fresh herbs, lemon, and garlic, makes the ultimate centrepiece for your next gathering. Served alongside a warm potato and green bean salad and a tomato and bocconcini salad, it’s a complete menu that’s perfect for entertaining.
Serves
6
Prep time
20 minutes
Cooking time
360 minutes
Ingredients
Lamb Rub & marinade:
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup (about 1–2 lemons) fresh lemon juice
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped (or 2 tbsp dried)
- 1/2 cup fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped (or 2 tbsp dried)
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tbsp dried)
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Lamb:
- 3 kg lamb leg or shoulder
- 200 ml chicken stock or water
- 1 large brown onion, thinly sliced
Salsa Verde: 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup fresh parsley leaves
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp capers, drained
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 ice cubes
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Warm Potato and Green Bean Salad Recipe
Serves 4–6
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 1 kg baby potatoes, halved
- 300 g green beans, trimmed
- 1/3 cup (40 g) toasted pine nuts
- Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
- 2–3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Large handful (about 1/2 cup) fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Honey Dijon Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Method
- Place the halved potatoes into a large pot of boiling salted water. Cook for 10–12 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a knife.
- During the last minute of cooking, add the green beans to the pot. Then drain both potatoes and beans well.
- While the potatoes cook, toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently until golden and fragrant. Remove from heat.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, and vinegar until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer the warm potatoes and green beans to a large serving bowl. Add the toasted pine nuts, lemon juice, olive oil (2–3 tablespoons) and basil.
- Pour the honey Dijon dressing over the salad and gently toss everything together until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Best served warm or at room temperature.
Tomato and bocconcini salad
Serves 4–6
Ingredients
- 500 g ripe tomatoes, sliced into rounds
- 250 g bocconcini (small fresh mozzarella balls), drained and halved
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- A large handful fresh basil leaves
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Method
- Arrange the tomatoes in a large platter. Scatter the bocconcini halves evenly over the tomatoes.
- Distribute the red onion and fresh basil leaves over the salad.
- Drizzle the olive oil and balsamic vinegar evenly over the ingredients.
- Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- You can either gently toss to combine or serve the salad layered for a nice presentation. Best enjoyed fresh at room temperature.
Directions
- For the lamb leg and marinade:
- Preheat oven to 150°C (fan-forced).
- Prepare the marinade: Mix olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, rosemary, oregano, thyme, cumin, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Pat the lamb dry. Rub marinade all over the lamb, ensuring it’s well coated. For best flavour, marinate overnight in the fridge if you can.
- Spread the sliced brown onion evenly in the bottom of the roasting tray. Place the lamb on top. Pour 200 ml chicken stock around the lamb (not over the rub).
- Cover tightly with foil. Roast at 150°C for 2 hours.
- Reduce oven to 130°C. Remove foil, baste lamb with pan juices, cover again with foil, and cook for another 3.5 hours, basting every hour.
- Remove foil and roast uncovered for 30 minutes at 130°C to crisp the exterior.
- Remove lamb from oven and rest for 15–20 minutes before carving.
- For the Salsa Verde:
- Combine basil, parsley, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, and capers in a food processor. Add ice cubes and pulse to chill and keep vibrant colour.
- Slowly drizzle in olive oil while processing until smooth.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Ingredients
Lamb Rub & marinade:
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup (about 1–2 lemons) fresh lemon juice
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped (or 2 tbsp dried)
- 1/2 cup fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped (or 2 tbsp dried)
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tbsp dried)
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Lamb:
- 3 kg lamb leg or shoulder
- 200 ml chicken stock or water
- 1 large brown onion, thinly sliced
Salsa Verde: 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup fresh parsley leaves
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp capers, drained
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 ice cubes
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Warm Potato and Green Bean Salad Recipe
Serves 4–6
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 1 kg baby potatoes, halved
- 300 g green beans, trimmed
- 1/3 cup (40 g) toasted pine nuts
- Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
- 2–3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Large handful (about 1/2 cup) fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Honey Dijon Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Method
- Place the halved potatoes into a large pot of boiling salted water. Cook for 10–12 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a knife.
- During the last minute of cooking, add the green beans to the pot. Then drain both potatoes and beans well.
- While the potatoes cook, toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently until golden and fragrant. Remove from heat.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, and vinegar until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer the warm potatoes and green beans to a large serving bowl. Add the toasted pine nuts, lemon juice, olive oil (2–3 tablespoons) and basil.
- Pour the honey Dijon dressing over the salad and gently toss everything together until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Best served warm or at room temperature.
Tomato and bocconcini salad
Serves 4–6
Ingredients
- 500 g ripe tomatoes, sliced into rounds
- 250 g bocconcini (small fresh mozzarella balls), drained and halved
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- A large handful fresh basil leaves
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Method
- Arrange the tomatoes in a large platter. Scatter the bocconcini halves evenly over the tomatoes.
- Distribute the red onion and fresh basil leaves over the salad.
- Drizzle the olive oil and balsamic vinegar evenly over the ingredients.
- Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- You can either gently toss to combine or serve the salad layered for a nice presentation. Best enjoyed fresh at room temperature.
Directions
- For the lamb leg and marinade:
- Preheat oven to 150°C (fan-forced).
- Prepare the marinade: Mix olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, rosemary, oregano, thyme, cumin, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Pat the lamb dry. Rub marinade all over the lamb, ensuring it’s well coated. For best flavour, marinate overnight in the fridge if you can.
- Spread the sliced brown onion evenly in the bottom of the roasting tray. Place the lamb on top. Pour 200 ml chicken stock around the lamb (not over the rub).
- Cover tightly with foil. Roast at 150°C for 2 hours.
- Reduce oven to 130°C. Remove foil, baste lamb with pan juices, cover again with foil, and cook for another 3.5 hours, basting every hour.
- Remove foil and roast uncovered for 30 minutes at 130°C to crisp the exterior.
- Remove lamb from oven and rest for 15–20 minutes before carving.
- For the Salsa Verde:
- Combine basil, parsley, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, and capers in a food processor. Add ice cubes and pulse to chill and keep vibrant colour.
- Slowly drizzle in olive oil while processing until smooth.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Helpful Tips
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Substitutions
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