The moment I approach a table full of loved ones with a perfectly bronzed, succulent roast in hand is a special occasion. The chorus of appreciative oohs and ahhs makes the hours of cooking worthwhile.

Before last Easter, I'd roasted chicken, turkey and beef, but never lamb. So, naturally, I decided to try it for the first time shortly after moving house and with no dining chairs to my name. I raised the stakes even more by splashing out lamb from the butcher.

One £50 bone-in leg of lamb and some chairs cobbled together from my neighbours later, I decided to play it safe with traditional flavours. In this recipe from British chef Simon Hopkinson, rosemary, garlic and butter coat the roast alongside a secret ingredient I hope doesn't put you off entirely - a jar of anchovies.

I swear it doesn't smell or taste of anchovies. Rather, the meat becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender, infused with a mouthwatering herby aroma that permeates the roast and your home.

It genuinely only requires you to prepare the butter paste, which comes together quickly using a food processor, but it's easy enough to chop it by hand. I do have one warning - this one is for garlic lovers.

This recipe is adapted from a recipe from Simon Hopkinson's Roast Chicken and Other Stories cookbook.

I've streamlined the process by blending the ingredients into a paste rather than inserting a half-clove of garlic, rosemary, and butter into each incision, but to each their own.

This recipe serves six people.

Ingredients

• Bone-in leg of lamb, about 2kg for six people
• Anchovies from one small 95g jar
• Rosemary
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 120g butter
• Lemon juice
• Black pepper
• 400ml white wine, more if needed to fill tray

Method