Roast Leg of Mutton with Walnut & Mint Pesto

‘The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.’ Nelson Henderson.

Last year we planted a special walnut tree on the farm. I will be well into my 60s, nudging 90 even nudging, before the tree reaches full splendour. I hope to have a few nut harvests in my lifetime, however the tree is not there for my benefit. While we may access land for a time, one must remember no matter what any deed states we are simply custodians and not ‘owners’ of our natural landscape. It will go on into others hands long after we are gone, and we must expect that it will continue to shift and change. Nothing in nature should be preserved in aspic, decay and dilapidation eventually comes to all living things. What I believe to be important is in our lifetime we put in more than we take out. Through the decisions we make, we have the power to leave what we touch, better than how it was found. 

Ingredients

For the leg of mutton
1kg roasting potatoes
2 tablespoons beef dripping
3-4 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked 
2 garlic bulbs
1 whole leg of mutton

For the walnut & mint pesto
100g walnuts
1 bunch of mint, leaves picked
1 bunch of chives
1 bunch of  flat leaf parsley
5-6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Sea salt flakes
Freshly ground black pepper 

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C (400F), Gas Mark 6.

Peel the potatoes, cut them up into large pieces and tip them into a saucepan. Cover with plenty of salted, cold water and set them over a medium heat. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer for 8 - 10 minutes or until just tender.  

Drain the potatoes, place  into a colander and leave to steam for at least 5 minutes. It’s well worth tumbling the potatoes around in the colander, once or twice, to rough up their edges, as this makes them even crispier.   

Meanwhile, spoon the beef dripping into a large heavy-based roasting tin and place it in the oven to heat up. Once lovely and hot, carefully turn the potatoes out into the tray. Use a spatula to turn them through the beef fat, making sure they’ve all got a little space.  

Generously season the potatoes with sea salt and black pepper.  Place the potatoes into the oven for 15 minutes. 

Season the leg of mutton with sea salt and slice the garlic bulbs in half. 

Remove the potatoes from the oven and add the mutton leg, along with the garlic. Place the tray back into the oven for 20 minutes.   

After 20 minutes, remove the roasting tin from the oven. Using a potato masher, carefully press the potatoes to squish them slightly.. Add the rosemary and thyme. 

Turn the oven down to 180C (350F), Gas Mark 4 and cook for a further 25 minutes per kilo of the weight of the mutton leg. For best results use a meat thermometer; place the tip in the thickest part of the joint (not next to the bone) the target temperature is 55C.  

Remove the mutton from the oven and leave to rest for 20 minutes. Take the  garlic from the roasting tin and set to one side, as you’ll need this to make the pesto.  

While the mutton is resting, make the mint pesto. Lightly toast the walnuts in a frying pan. Once toasted, add them to a blender, followed by the mint, chives, parsley, roasted garlic, extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper and the cider vinegar. Give everything a good blitz until a perfect pesto consistency has formed. 

Served the crispy potatoes alongside thick slices of mutton and generous dollops of pesto.