Rolled Lamb Shoulder with Mint and Basil Gremolata

_INGREDIENTS

• 650-750g lamb shoulder, deboned, rolled and tied
• Olive oil, for searing
• 5-6 Tbsp olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 30g mint leaves (about 1 large bunch)
• 20g basil leaves (about 1 small bunch)
• 2-3 large garlic cloves
• 1 lemon
• 2 tsp sumac

_INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan). Line a baking dish that fits the lamb snugly with baking paper. Bring the lamb to room temperature.
2. Season the lamb all over with salt and pepper. Heat a frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil and sear the roll, turning, until browned on all sides.
3. Transfer the roll to the lined dish, drizzle over the fat from the pan and cover with a foil tent. Roast for 20 minutes.
4. Remove the foil and keep roasting until it's where you want it: about 15 minutes more for rare, 20 for medium, 30 for well done. If you have a meat thermometer, pull it at 52°C for rare, 60°C for medium or 68°C for well done. The temperature will climb a few degrees as it rests.
5. While the lamb roasts, make the gremolata. Smash the garlic cloves with the side of your knife, then chop finely until they break down into a rough paste. Finely chop the mint and basil and put both in a bowl with the garlic, 5-6 Tbsp olive oil, the zest of the lemon and the juice of half. Stir in the sumac, season with salt and pepper, then taste and add more lemon juice if it needs sharpening.
6. Rest the lamb for 10 minutes before slicing. Spoon half the gremolata onto a serving plate, lay the slices over the top and drizzle with the rest.

The lamb in this one comes from Leelands, a family farm in Southland. Their lamb is on the menu at some of New Zealand's best restaurants, and it's in the Farmers Meat Box. Read how it gets from there to here.

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Recipe written by Kylee Newton @themodernpreserver