INGREDIENTS

1 leg of lamb (about 3kg)

1 leek

1 carrot

1 celery stick

3 mushrooms

4 garlic cloves

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 cups white wine

½ cup Worcestershire sauce

3 cups water, with concentrated lamb stock added

1 tablespoon Maizena (cornflour)

Marinade

2 cloves garlic, crushed

¼ teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

Picked rosemary leaves

Picked thyme leaves

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon grated lemon rind

Roast potatoes, for serving

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 195°C

Blend together the marinade ingredients. Cut gashes into the lamb and rub this mixture all over. This allows the flavours to permeate the meat and helps get the fatty bits nice and crispy.

Chop up the leek, carrot, celery and mushrooms and place into a roasting pan, along with the garlic cloves.

Place the lamb on top of the vegetables, drizzle with olive oil and roast for 2 ½ hours, keeping the pan moist by adding up to 1 cup of water.

Once cooked, remove the lamb and set it aside.

South African celebrity chef and cooking sensation Reuben Riffel began his career in the town in which he was born, Franschhoek – known locally, and increasingly across the globe, as the food and wine capital of South Africa. Riffel, renowned for his culinary prowess, describes his cuisine as eclectic and unpretentious. There is an honest simplicity to the food he serves throughout his restaurants, underpinned by his focus on the finest seasonal produce sourced from nearby suppliers. His philosophy is to keep things uncomplicated, bringing out the natural flavours of each ingredient, and to strive for perfect balance in the finished dish.