大象传媒

by Clare Lattin and Tom Hill from Duck Soup (Square Peg)

The charring gives an added dimension of flavour to the meat, so if you can char it and then finish it in the oven then that is the ideal.聽 Alternatively cook it on a barbecue.
Labneh, a salted, strained Greek Yoghurt is a staple of Middle Eastern Cooking.

Serves 4-6
Prep time: 20 mins + overnight straining if making your own Labneh
Cooking time: 25-30 mins

Ingredients

2-2.5kg lamb leg, boned and butterflied (ask your butcher)
olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
8 fresh apricots, stone in
Few thyme leaves
200g labneh (see recipe below)
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt

Method

• Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6.
• Heat a large chargrill pan (big enough to hold your lamb) until it is smoking.
• Rub the oil into the lamb and season with salt and pepper.聽 Place in the chargrill pan and cook for 5 mins on one side.聽 You may need to turn the heat down a tad, as there will be a lot of smoke.聽 Turn the lamb over and cook for 5 mins on the other side.聽 Then, using a pair of tongs, turn the meat on to its side and cook the edges for 3 mins each side.
• The lamb should now have lovely griddle marks on and a good smoky flavour to it.聽 If you鈥檙e cooking this in summer you can also get the same effect on the barbecue.
• Once all the sides of your meat are sealed, transfer to a large roasting try and roast in the oven for 16-18 mins for a medium lamb leg and a bit longer for a larger leg.聽 You want the meat blushing with a pink colour as opposed to being rare.聽 To check if your meat is cooked, after about 16-18 mins, give it a gentle prod with your finger on the largest part.聽 It should have a little bounce to it but should still feel a little firm.聽 If there is little resistance then it鈥檚 undercooked so give it another 3-4 mins.
• When the meat is cooked remove from the oven and let it rest for around 15 mins, covered loosely with foil.聽 This is important as it gives the meat a chance to relax and get the juices flowing, and it means the meat will stay moist when you come round to slicing it.
• As soon as you put the lamb into the oven, place an ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat and add a dash of oil.聽
• Once your oil is hot add the apricots and blister for 5 mins, shaking the pan to move them around, until the skin starts to blister.聽
• Add the thyme leaves, transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 8-10 mins, or until the fruit is cooked but is still a little firm (they should still hold their shape).聽
• Set aside to cool while you carve the lamb, rather than cutting it directly across, slice the meat at about a 30 degree angle, which makes slightly triangular chunks, creating more texture to the meat.
• Arrange the pieces of lamb randomly over a serving platter (or individual plates).聽 When the apricots are cool enough to handle, tear them open and place them in and around the lamb.聽
• Do the same with spoonfuls of the labneh, then squeeze over the lemon juice.聽 Drizzle with olive oil and season with a little pinch of salt.

For the Labneh

• Whisk in 1 tsp of salt to every 500g of full-fat Greek yoghurt (don鈥檛 be tempted to use a fat-free version as it won鈥檛 be the same).聽聽
• Pour the mixture into cheesecloth suspended over a bowl (you can also use a large coffee filter) to allow the excess liquid to drip through.聽
• 聽Depending on how thick you want your labneh, leave it overnight for medium-firm or 3 days for super-firm.