Butterflied Leg of Lamb with Lavender, Honey and Claret

• lamb leg2.25kg leg of kg

  (boneless), butterflied (ask butcher)

• garlic cloves↗6
• lavender sprigs↗5

  leaves and flowers minced

• olive oil↗2 tbsp tbsp
• lemon juice1 tbsp tbsp
• balsamic vinegar↗2 tbsp tbsp
• lavender honey↗4 tbsp tbsp
• white cheese curd↗400g g
• soft goat cheese↗100g g

  crumbles

• crème fraîche↗6 tbsp tbsp
• shallot↗3

  finely chopped

• garlic cloves↗3

  minced

• white wine vinegar↗1 tbsp tbsp
• dry white wine1 tbsp tbsp
• extra virgin olive oil↗1 ½ tbsp tbsp
• шніт-лук↗3 tbsp

  дрібно нарізаний

• петрушка↗3 tbsp

  дрібно нарізана

• червіль↗3 tbsp

  дрібно нарізений

• балсамічний оцет↗2 tbsp
• лавандовий мед↗2 tbsp
• гілочки лаванди↗2

  листя та квіти подрібнені

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   To make the claret, combine all ingredients together. The flavors need time to meld, so it's best to do this a few hours before serving and keep at room temperature. You can also prepare the claret in advance, cover and refrigerate, but remember to bring it to room temperature before serving.

2. 2

   Preheat the oven to 220 °C/200 °C with convection/gas 7. Place the lamb flat‑side up and make shallow cuts across the meat and fat layers (deeper cuts can be made on the meat side). Pound garlic with sea salt in a mortar, then add the minced lavender leaves and flowers, olive oil, lemon, balsamic vinegar and honey to form a coarse paste.

3. 3

   Place the lamb in a roasting tin and press the paste into the cuts. Finish by positioning the fat side up. Mix the glaze ingredients and brush them over the meat. Season, then roast for 15 minutes.

4. 4

   Reduce the temperature to 190 °C/170 °C with convection/gas 5 and roast for another 20 minutes. The lamb will be pink. Loosely cover with foil and let rest about 10 minutes. Slice and serve with juices and claret.