Roast leg of lamb with chamomile recipe | The Ethical Butcher

This leg of lamb recipe, designed by a Michelin-starred chef, is delicious and easy to make at home. 

Lamb and chamomile might seem like an unusual pairing but the two actually go together very well. Chamomile is a herb that comes from the daisy-like flowers of the Asteraceae plant family. It has been consumed for centuries as a natural remedy and has some surprising health benefits.

This mild herb used to be fairly common in Britain, but is now found only in a few areas of southern England, notably the south-west and the New Forest. It prefers mown or grazed grassland in open places, such as sandy heaths, cricket pitches, coastal cliff-tops or open glades in light woodland.

Chamomile contains apigenin, an antioxidant that binds to certain receptors in your brain that may promote sleepiness and reduce insomnia. Some studies also show apigenin can fight cancer cells, especially those of the breast, digestive tract, skin, prostate and uterus.

Flavones in chamomile have been studied for their potential to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels (references at the bottom of this recipe).  

Roast leg of lamb with chamomile 

Serves 4 with leftovers

Ingredients:

2.2kg leg of 100% pasture-fed regenerative Ethical Butcher lamb

2 tsp sea salt (we use Blackthorne salt)

1 organic garlic bulb – cloves separated and peeled

50ml olive oil (we use Two Fields Zakros regenerative Cretan Olive Oil)

50g organic chamomile flowers or tea (If using tea, make sure it is pure flowers)

2 organic yellow onions – roots off and unpeeled but quartered

Small glass of white wine to deglaze

Small bunch of fresh chamomile (if you can find it)

Method:

Take lamb out of fridge for 2 hours to come to room temp.

Preheat oven to 180ºC.

Score the skin of the lamb every 1.5cm, to a 5mm depth.

Blend garlic and olive oil in blender, and rub into the skin and cuts.

Sprinkle over the chamomile tea leaves and rub into the cuts and skin.

Heat a heavy roasting tin in the oven.

Add the lamb and quartered onions to the tin and cook for 1.5-2 hours.

Check temperature of the meat in the deepest, thickest part with a probe or meat thermometer to 65ºC for medium-rare.

After the first 40 minutes or so, baste frequently with the fats and juices in the pan.

Remove the meat from the oven and let it rest on a carving board or platter for about 20 minutes.

Remove the onions from the pan and tip off a little of the fat only.

Deglaze the roasting tin on the hob with a glass of white wine, scraping to remove the caramelised meat juices.

When the wine has almost evaporated, add a little water and mix well to create a sauce to pour over the slices of roast lamb.

If you managed to find fresh chamomile flowers, use as a garnish at the table.

If you give this recipe a try, don't forget to let us know how it goes! Tag us in your creations on Instagram @ethicalbutcher