3 Great Roasts

Roast Beef With Carrots- Arrosto Alle Carote

150g chopped pancetta 

3 table spoons olive oil

1kg carrots sliced

1 garlic clove chopped

1 fresh thyme sprig chopped

Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

800g topside

2 tablespoons brandy

4-5 celery leaves

Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 120c. Cover the base of roasting tin with 2/3 of the pancetta. Heat the oil in a sauce pan, add carrots, garlic and thyme and cook over a medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until lightly browned. Season with salt and sprinkle with nutmeg, then transfer to a dish and keep warm. Tie the meat neatly with kitchen string, ands to the pan and cook, turning frequently, until browned on both sides. Season with salt, add the brandy and cook until it has evaporated. Transfer the beef to a roasting tin, spoon carrot mixture and celery leaves around it and sprinkle remaining pancetta on top. Cover and roast for 2 hours until the carrots have caramelised. Remove the meat from the roasting tin, discard the string, carve into slices and season with pepper. Transfer to a warm serving dish together with the vegetables. 

Shoulder of Lamb in a Parcel- Spalla Al Cartoccio

Olive oil for brushing

1 kg boneless shoulder of lamb trimmed of fat

1 sprig flat leaf parsley chopped

1 sprig fresh chervil chopped

1 sprig fresh oregano chopped

1 bay leaf

175ml dry white wine

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 200c. Brush a large sheet of baking parchment generously with olive oil. Season the top and underside of the lamb with salt and pepper and place in the middle of the baking parchment. Sprinkle with herbs and add the bay leaf. Pour the wine and lemon juice on top and wrap carefully so the liquid does not leak out. Place on a baking tray and roast for 1 hour or until cooked through and tender. Open the parcel slightly to let the steam escape, then serve. 

Roast Pork, Plain and Simple- Cochon rôti tout simplement

1 deboned pork leg

100ml olive oil

200ml white whine

3 French shallots, unpeeled

1 bulb garlic, unpeeled

Sea salt

Preheat oven to 150c. Heat the olive oil in flameproof roasting tin. Add the pork and seal on all sides over medium heat. Transfer to the oven and roast for 45 minutes, making sure to baste the roast regularly, so that the cooking juices take on the flavor of the garlic and shallots. Season with sea salt and pepper before serving. 

First two recipes: Silver Spoon, Phaidon, 2005

Last: Rôtis, Stéphane Reynaud, Murdoch Books 2009