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Roast lamb in salt crust

Richard Phillips from Great Food Live
In this delicious recipe by Richard Phillips, the salt crust seals in all the meaty succulent juices from the lamb as it cooks...

Roast lamb in salt crust

Method

1. Place the fine and coarse salt, flour, eggs, water, rosemary, thyme, lavender and sage all into a bowl and work together until everything comes together as a dough - take care not to overwork it though. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for around 2 hours.

2. Heat the olive oil in a sturdy pan, set over a moderately high heat, and seal the lamb until coloured. Remove the pan from the heat and leave the lamb to cool on one side. Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6.

3. Process the bread in a food processor. Add the herbs and continue blending until finely chopped. Cover the lamb with this crumb mixture.

4. Roll the salt crust dough to 1cm thickness, and use to wrap-up the leg of lamb, ensuring there are no gaps.

5. Combine the egg and yolk and brush all over the lamb.

6. Bake the lamb for about 35 minutes, until the crust is golden. Remove the lamb from the oven and rest for 20 minutes in a warm place.

8. Heat the lamb jus, red wine and honey, and add the baby turnips. Cook until just tender - about 5 minutes.

7. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the spinach leaves and heat until the leaves have wilted.

9. Crack open the salt crust, carve the lamb, and serve the meat with the spinach and glazed turnips. The salt crust is not meant to be eaten!