Instructions: Lay the lamb fleshside up slash the meat and rub with salt and pepper. Press the spice paste chopped lemon and plums all over the meat and moisten everything with a tablespoon of olive oil.

Roll up the joint and tie at regular intervals with six pieces. of string.

Rub with salt and pepper then tuck the rosemary under the pieces of string. Pierce the joint right through next to each piece of rosemary with bamboo skewers (this helps to keep it together when portioning up). It will keep like this in the fridge covered for a couple of days.

When ready to cook put the joint in a large deep pan splash with olive oil and sit the orange wedges all around it. Add a dash of water (enough to make a mere puddle in the bottom of the pan) cover and roast for 1 hour in an oven preheated to 200C/400F/gas mark 6.

Remove the lid and continue to roast for another half hour.

If you want it well done leave it for about another 20 minutes.

Heres a breather from your regular roast. Make some couscous to sop up the juice.

Serves 6

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