Cooked simply and with the least amount of fuss, unless you count a regular basting, this is my favourite way to treat this prime piece of meat. It remains succulent and juicy and generates plenty of meat residues to make a fantastic sauce.

Ingredients - serves 6-8 2.25kg leg of lamb 1 large sprig rosemary 2 cloves garlic, peeled & cut into slivers Eleanthos olive oil 350ml chicken or lamb stock 1 tbsp arrowroot 6 beetroot 8 medium carrots, washed & trimmed, cut into chunks 8 medium parsnip, washed & trimmed, cut into chunks 1 tbsp Essential sesame seeds salt, pepper

Method

Pre heat the oven to 190°C
Score the lamb fat with a sharp knife into a diamond pattern then make incisions at the point where lines cross - push a sliver of garlic and a few rosemary leaves into each incision. Brush with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast for 30mins/450g - this leg will take 2 1/2 hours. Baste the leg 3 times during cooking time. Rest for 10-15 minutes before carving. Calculate the roasting time for your lamb and cook the vegetables for the final hour of its cooking time.

Peel the beetroot and trim top and root, cut in half, toss in olive oil and spread in a roasting dish to roast for 15 minutes. Now add the carrots and parsnip to the dish and toss also to coat with oil, season with salt and pepper and roast for a further 30 minutes. Finally, sprinkle over with sesame seeds and finish with a further 15 minutes of roasting, or until vegetables are colouring and tender.

While the lamb rests, make sauce from the meat juices combined with lamb or chicken stock and thickened with a tablespoon of arrowroot mixed to a paste with cold stock and then added to the sauce and whisked in. Serve thick slices with a selection of roasted vegetables and roast potatoes.