I am using a leg of lamb with the bone in this recipe, but you can also do this with a boneless leg – which is delicious and it cooks faster. Lamb is very versatile. You can add so many different flavours. These dried herbs are a bit stronger so be careful. Just use one or two if you don’t want to use all four. The anchovies and capers add even more flavour. If you are not keen on anchovies add more capers.

The rooster potatoes are done is stock and jazzed-up with sun-dried tomatoes. Simply Better has the best Italian sun-dried tomatoes that you will find. And there is a good range of big olives in-store too.

There is a bit of work in this dessert, but it is impressive. The ice-cream can be made up to four weeks in advance, but you can only cover it with chocolate 24 hours in advance, or else it will start turning white. Mint is traditionally used in desserts to cleanse the palate and aid digestion. You could also try crème de menthe, but not for children. It is always popular in the restaurant with crushed ice.

Neven’s new book, Neven Maguire’s Home Economics for Life, is published by Gill Books.

Slow roast lamb kleftico

Serves six

3 anchovy fillets in oil

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

3 tbsp capers, drained& rinsed

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried mint

1 tsp dried marjoram

1 tsp dried thyme

3 bay leaves

6 garlic cloves, chopped

Finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

1.8kg (4lb) bone-in leg of lamb

For the potatoes:

Olive oil

2 onions, thinly sliced

1.25kg (3lb) Rooster potatoes

350ml (12fl oz) hot chicken stock

1 lemon, halved

125g (41/2lb) sun-dried tomatoes

150g (5oz) green pitted olives

Sea salt and pepper

  • 1 Place the oil, anchovies, capers, dried herbs, bay leaves, garlic, lemon rind and juice, and plenty of seasoning in a food processor, then whizz until smooth. Pierce the lamb all over with a sharp knife to help the marinade penetrate the meat, then spoon it on top and rub into the flesh. Leave to marinate in a large food bag for at least four hours or preferably overnight in the fridge.
  • 2 Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F, gas mark three). To make the potatoes, heat a glug of olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the onions over a gentle heat for 15 minutes, or until soft and lightly caramelised.
  • 3 Meanwhile, peel and slice the potatoes as thinly as possible, using a mandoline if you have one, and toss with the caramelized onions. Tip into a large roasting tin, pour over the stock and squeeze the lemon on top, then add the squeezed out lemon halves to the tin. Sit the lamb on top, making sure all of the marinade stays with it. Cover with a sheet of parchment paper and a layer of foil.
  • 4 Roast for four and a half hours, then remove the foil and parchment paper. Drizzle over the honey, then scatter around the tomatoes and olives. Return to the oven and roast for another 15 minutes to brown. Remove the lamb from the tin and set aside on a carving board or platter to rest. Return the tin with the potatoes to the oven for another 10-15 minutes until golden and crisped up.
  • 5 To serve, sit the lamb back on top of the potatoes, scatter over the fresh oregano and thyme and spoon over any cooking juices. Serve with seasonal greens.
  • Chocolate ice cream bombes

    Makes 10

    600ml (1 pint) cream

    25g (1oz) packet fresh mint, leaves only and roughly chopped

    4 medium eggs, separated

    200g (7oz) caster sugar

    1 tbsp cornflour

    5-10 drops mint extract

    150ml (1/4 pint) chocolate caramel sauce (from a jar)

    300g (10oz) plain chocolate, broken into squares at least 70% cocoa solids)

  • 1 Put the cream and mint in a heavy-based pan and heat gently until just boiling. Transfer to a blender and whizz until smooth and bright green. Strain through a sieve back into the pan. Return to a low heat and keep warm.
  • 2 Put the egg yolks in a large heatproof bowl, then whisk in 50g (2oz) of caster sugar with half the cornflour. Pour the warm cream mixture slowly on top, whisking constantly, then strain through a sieve back into the cleaned pan, Return to the heat and stir until thickened, then strain once more into a clean heatproof bowl. Leave to cool with a layer of clingfilm touching the surface to prevent a skin forming, then chill for at least one hour or up to 24 hours. Once the custard is well chilled, taste and add five to 10 drops of mint extract, to your taste.
  • 3 Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Whisk in the remaining 150g (5oz) of caster sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until the meringue is smooth and glossy. Finally fold in the rest of cornflour. Stir in a large spoonful of the meringue into the custard mixture to loosen it, then using a large metal spoon quickly fold in about 100ml (3 1/2fl oz) of the chocolate caramel sauce over the mixture and quickly fold in for a marbled effect.
  • 4 Divide half of the mixture between 10 darolie moulds that have been lightly greased and bases lined with parchment paper discs. Dot another one teaspoon of the chocolate sauce in the middle of each, then fill with the remaining mixture. Cover each mould with a few layers of clingfilm and freeze for at least six hours, or overnight.
  • 5 Once frozen solid, melt the plain chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Leave to cool completely.
  • 6 Once the chocolate is cool, remove the dariole moulds from the freezer, boil a kettle and pour some of the water into a small heatproof bowl. Dip the base of each mould in the hot water for a couple of seconds, then turn over and put on a plate. Tap firmly to release the bombe. Working quickly, put all the bombes on a wire rack set over a sheet of parchment paper.
  • 7 Carefully pour the melted chocolate over the top of each bombe to completely coat each one in a thin even layer, then return to the freezer for two hours.