Roast rump of lamb with thyme, garlic and spring vegetables Method 1. Put the lamb rumps into a ceramic dish.
Remove the root ends from the garlic cloves, crush lightly with a heavy knife and season them lightly with salt. Add the garlic, thyme and the olive oil to the lamb, toss gently together, cover and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6.
Remove the lamb from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature if possible. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat an ovenproof frying pan over high heat and brown off the lamb. Add the garlic cloves and thyme sprigs and roast in the oven for 10 minutes, turning after 5 minutes.
Remove from the oven. Put the lamb, garlic and thyme sprigs on a warm plate to rest. Cover lightly with foil.
Pour off any fat from the pan, stir in the stock to deglaze the pan and allow to reduce over a medium heat.
While the stock is reducing, squeeze the garlic cloves from their skins onto a plate, mash and add to the stock.
Strip the leaves from the removed sprigs of thyme and add to the stock with the parsley. When reduced by half, remove from the heat, add any lamb juices from the resting lamb, and stir in the butter. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
. For the medley of spring vegetables: bring a large saucepan of salted water to a brisk boil.
. Add the carrots to the pan and allow to cook for 1 minute.
. Add the green beans and cook for 1 minute more.
. Add the asparagus and cook for 1 minute more.
. Add the cauliflower and cook for 1 minute more.
. Add the broccoli and cook for 1 minute more – 5 minutes cooking time in all.
. Drain the vegetables and refresh in cold water, then drain again.
. The vegetables can be heated through in the butter and served immediately with the cooked lamb or set aside. When ready to serve, reheat them with the butter in the microwave oven and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
. To serve, spoon the warmed vegetables onto the plates. Slice the lamb and arrange beside the vegetables, then spoon over a little sauce
