Name: Roast lamb and carrots with buckwheat and carrot-top pilaf
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 155 min
Yield: 4 - 6
Ingredients: 80 ml (1/3 cup) olive oil, plus extra for drizzling; 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped; Finely grated rind of 2 lemons and juice of 1, plus 2 extra lemons cut into wedges; 2 tsp each dried mint and dried Greek oregano; 1 tsp dried chilli flakes; 1 lamb leg (about 2kg), bone in, slashed at intervals; 200 ml chicken stock; 80 ml dry white wine; 4 bunches Dutch carrots, trimmed, scrubbed and halved (reserve a quarter of the leaves, coarsely chopped for pilaf); Buckwheat and carrot-top pilaf; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion, finely chopped; 1 garlic clove, finely chopped; 170 gm buckwheat; 450 ml chicken or vegetable stock; Finely grated rind and juice of ½ lemon, or to taste; ½ cup each coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley and mint

Roast lamb and carrots with buckwheat and carrot-top pilaf

A tender autumnal roast that puts every part of the carrot to good use - win-win.

Serves 4 - 6

Prep

35M

Cook

Total

2H 35M

If you have time, marinate the lamb overnight for a deeper flavour, but otherwise a couple of hours will do the trick. We used a mixture of different-coloured Dutch carrots, but use whatever is available. Don’t let the carrot tops go to waste – toss the greenest ones through the pilaf along with the herbs.

Ingredients

80 ml (1/3 cup) olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Finely grated rind of 2 lemons and juice of 1, plus 2 extra lemons cut into wedges

2 tsp each dried mint and dried Greek oregano

1 tsp dried chilli flakes

1 lamb leg (about 2kg), bone in, slashed at intervals

200 ml chicken stock

80 ml dry white wine

4 bunches Dutch carrots, trimmed, scrubbed and halved (reserve a quarter of the leaves, coarsely chopped for pilaf)

Buckwheat and carrot-top pilaf

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

170 gm buckwheat

450 ml chicken or vegetable stock

Finely grated rind and juice of ½ lemon, or to taste

½ cup each coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley and mint

Method

Main

1.Combine 50ml oil, garlic, lemon rind and juice, herbs and chilli in a bowl, season to taste, then rub all over lamb and into incisions. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate to marinate (2 hours or this can be done overnight for more flavour). Stand at room temperature for 1 hour before cooking.

2.Preheat oven to 180C. Place lamb in a roasting pan, add stock and wine, drizzle with a little extra oil and roast, basting occasionally, until browned and cooked medium-rare (1¾-2 hours). Set aside to rest for 15 minutes.

3.Spread carrots and lemon wedges on a separate oven tray lined with baking paper, drizzle with remaining oil, season to taste and roast until tender and golden brown (20-25 minutes), then set aside.

4.For buckwheat and carrot-top pilaf, stir oil, onion and garlic in a saucepan over medium-high heat until tender (4-5 minutes), then stir in buckwheat and toast lightly (1-2 minutes). Add stock, bring to the simmer, cover with a lid, reduce heat to low and cook until buckwheat is tender (15-20 minutes). Stand for 10 minutes, then stir in rind, juice, herbs and reserved carrot tops. Serve hot with carved roast lamb, roast carrots and roast lemon wedges.