Garlic and Rosemary Roast Lamb and Vegetables

I love a Sunday roast. The smells wafting from the kitchen feels so safe and homely. But I've always been afraid of cooking them because ovens are so variable, and I'd hate to go to all that effort to have it burn. But I think if the weekend must end, then I think it should end with a roast. So there's no better time to practise!

This recipe brings together 3 recipes: from the Australian Women's Weekly Roast mini cookbook (1) traditional roast leg of lamb with garlic and rosemary and (2) roasted vegetables; and (3) my mum's mushroom gravy. Like my other recipes, I've modded these slightly.

Because this recipe is a bit fiddly, this is the kind of time you should allow to prepare and cook this:

Preparation 30-40 minutes
Cooking 60 minutes

Serves 2 (may be some leftovers depending on how hungry you are)

Garlic and Rosemary Roast Lamb
Small leg of lamb
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to season

Roasted Vegetables
2 small tomatoes, sliced thinly
4 baby potatoes, cut into wedges
1/2 small sweet potato, cut into slices
1 small red onion, cut into wedges
2 small beetroots, cut into wedges
1 small zucchini, cut half lengthways then into 3cm lengths
2 trimmed celery sticks, cut into 3 cm lengths
Parsley (fresh flat leaf parsley chopped or dry)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to season

Mushroom and Onion Gravy
4 small-medium mushrooms, sliced
1 small brown onion, diced
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
Soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornflower
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 cup water

1. Preheat oven to approx 180-200 degrees
2. Put the potatoes and sweet potato in a microwave safe container with 1 teaspoon of water
3. Cover and cook on high in the microwave for 3 minutes
4. Lightly oil the baking dish
5. Cover the bottom with half the tomato
6. Put the roasting rack in the baking dish on top of the tomato
7. Around the roasting rack and top the tomato with potato, sweet potato, zucchini, celery, red onion and the rest of the tomato
8. Sprinkle the vegetables with parsley and season with salt and pepper; then drizzle with olive oil
9. Cut into the lamb with a sharp knife
10. Combine garlic, rosemary, olive oil and season with salt and pepper; mix
11. Press the garlic and rosemary mixture firmly into the cuts; if there is extra, spread evenly on the outside
12. Put the lamb with the vegetables in the baking tray on the roasting rack
13. Lightly oil a separate baking tray
14. Roll the beetroot in oil in the baking tray (so the beetroot doesn't stain the other veges)
15. Put both baking trays uncovered in the oven
16. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until cooked as desired
17. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 5-10 minutes before carving

To make the gravy...
18. In a small saucepan, lightly fry the onion, then add the mushroom
19. Combine the cornflour and brown sugar with the cup of water
20. Add the oyster sauce and soy sauce to the onion and mushroom, mix
21. Add the cornflour and brown sugar mixture, stir
22. Bring to the bowl, then reduce to a simmer
23. Reduce the gravy so that it is a little thick. If you like it thicker, add more cornflour (watch out for lumps!)

24. Carve the lamb and serve it with the vegetables and gravy
25. Ready to eat!