Saddle of Lamb

Ingredients

Remove the saddle of lamb from its packaging, pat it dry, and allow it to come to room temperature.
Preheat your oven to 200°C (fan-assisted) or 215°C (conventional).
Season the joint just prior to roasting.
Choose a large, heavy-based roasting tray, ideally with deep sides and sturdy handles for easy handling.
Season generously with good-quality fine sea salt.
Prepare a mirepoix by roughly chopping equal amounts of onion, carrot, and leek; add a bay leaf, a sprig of thyme, and a few black peppercorns (a head of garlic cut in half is also a wonderful addition).
Place the lamb joint skin-side up on top of the mirepoix, which should cover the base of the roasting tray.
Place in the center of the oven and roast for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 190°C and continue roasting for 30 minutes per 500 g, reaching an internal core temperature of at least 58°C.
Remove from the oven, transfer to a clean tray, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for at least 20 minutes before carving. Leave the roasted vegetables in the roasting tray to prepare the gravy.
To make the gravy, deglaze the roasting tray with 500 ml of lamb stock, scraping up all the caramelized pan juices. Strain through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan, pressing firmly on the vegetables to extract all their juices. Bring to a simmer; if desired, thicken by whisking in a teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with a little cold water, and reduce until you have a rich, glossy gravy.