ITV’s Cooking With The Stars chef shares festive Welsh lamb recipe

If traditional turkey has lost its appeal this year, why not try Welsh lamb? Get the family excited for a roast dinner with this innovative option.

Checklist has collaborated with ITV’s Cooking With The Stars pro and top London chef Francesco Mazzei for this sumptuous meal for all the family.

For a delicious Christmas lunch alternative, Francesco suggests a fruit mustard leg of Welsh Lamb with oven-roasted winter veg.  The sweet and spicy fruit mustard balances beautifully with the succulent Welsh Lamb and gives a deliciously festive flavour and colour. 

Alternatively, serve this main course with a side of creamy silky smooth mashed potatoes. With a little help from The Masha, create the lightest, fluffiest, and smoothest mash, batters, and desserts in seconds.

Francesco Mazzei’s fruit mustard leg of Welsh Lamb with oven roasted winter veg

Prep time: 15 mins |  Cook time: 1 hour 25 mins | Serves: 5 and over

Ingredients

For the lamb:

3kg leg of PGI Welsh Lamb, boned butterfly style
100g PGI Welsh Lamb mince (very finely minced)
60g fruit mustard (or dried apricot, raisins etc.)
20g Grana Padano cheese, grated
1 egg yolk
Salt and pepper
½ garlic clove, grated
Handful of pistachio nuts, shelled
1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
30g plain flour
1litre chicken stock

For the vegetables:

1 swede
1 red cabbage
1 butternut squash
1 fennel bulb
10 Brussels sprouts
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
50ml extra virgin olive oil
20g butter

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 185˚C / 165˚C fan / Gas 4.
2. Trim any excess fat away from the inside of the leg of lamb. Make incisions in the meat to open it out a little further (and to help the flavours infuse into the meat). Set aside.
3. In a bowl, mix together the mince, egg yolk, cheese, salt, pepper, grated garlic and the pistachio nuts and set aside.
4. Season the inside of the leg of lamb with salt and pepper. Pick the leaves off one of the rosemary sprigs and scatter sparingly over the lamb.
5. Cut the fruit mustard into smaller pieces (e.g. quarter the pears, figs etc. lengthways. If using cherries, they can be left whole).
6. Spread the mince stuffing onto the inside of the leg of lamb. Arrange the pieces of fruit mustard evenly onto the stuffing. Roll the lamb up and tie with butcher’s twine.
7. Put 1-2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil into a roasting tin. Add the remaining rosemary sprigs and the garlic cloves. Place the lamb on top and bake for about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.
8. In the meantime, grill the peppers and when ready, remove the skin and the seeds. Cut into pieces. 
9. Blanch the Brussels sprouts in salted boiling water and cool down in iced water.
10. Cut the remaining vegetables into wedges, season with salt and pepper and the extra virgin olive oil. Bake for about 30 to 40 minutes.
11. Remember to check the temperature of the meat, ensuring that it is above 75°C. To be certain your food is cooked to perfection, invest in a thermometer like the reliable Thermapen.
12. Remove the lamb from the oven and transfer onto a plate. Leave it to rest.
13. Add the flour to the roasting tin, mix it with the juice from the lamb and add the chicken stock. Place over a medium heat and cook until it thickens. Pass through a sieve and keep hot.
14. In a pan, melt the butter and add the Brussels sprouts, adjust with salt if necessary, and stir fry for a couple of minutes.
15. Add the peppers to the roasted vegetables and leave in the oven until warm.
16. Slice the lamb and serve it next to the roasted vegetables and Brussels sprouts, and pour the warm sauce on the top.

For more Francesco Mazzei Welsh Lamb recipe ideas, visit eatwelshlamb.com

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