Serves 4-6

This easy lamb roast is the perfect recipe for a no-fuss Easter lunch. Stuffing the lamb with gremolata is a simple way of enhancing the flavour of spring lamb, which can still be quite mild at this time of the year. Indeed, new-season lamb is best in June when the lamb has had time to develop a full flavour. If possible, ask your butcher for last season’s lamb, which should be well hung and the meat lusciously sweet and succulent.

About 1.1kg saddle of lamb, skinned and boned
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
8-10 slices of Parma ham
Large bunch of basil, chives and coriander
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
100ml olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

Method

1 Open out the saddle of lamb on a chopping board, skinned side up. Rub the fat all over with salt and pepper. Turn the lamb over and trim the excess flesh off the thin sides of the loins, so that the saddle rolls into a neat log. (Save the unwanted meat for another dish.)
2 Place a sheet of clingfilm on the counter and arrange the Parma ham, overlapping the sides a little, into a large rectangle. Lay the saddle of lamb on top, fat side down.
3 For the gremolata, put the herbs, garlic, lemon juice and zest, olive oil, salt and pepper into a food processor and pulse until you have a coarse paste. Spread this over the flesh of the lamb, smearing underneath any flaps or folds, then fold over the side flaps and roll the saddle into a tight log. Use the clingfilm to wrap the Parma ham around the lamb then chill for at least 30 minutes to set the shape.
4 Unwrap the clingfilm from the lamb and tie with kitchen string, securing the log at 2cm intervals. Preheat the oven to 200C/ Gas 7. Heat an ovenproof pan with a thin layer of olive oil until hot. Sear the lamb for a few minutes each side until browned all over.
5 Put the pan into the hot oven for 35-40 minutes for slightly pink lamb (calculate cooking time using 20 minutes per 450g after the initial browning). Rest for 15 minutes, loosely covered with a piece of foil, before carving into thick slices. Serve with parsnip purée, cabbage or roast potatoes for a complete meal.

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