Lavender, rosemary and balsamic vinegar roast lamb
Apologies for any American readers as I know very few from there will even contemplate eating lamb
This also works for aged mutton as well which you can get at Birmingham and sometimes Shrewsbury markets. Just cook it lower and slower.
If you can spend a bit more and get some excellent Welsh lamb, better than anything NZ ships to us but it is a bit more expensive.
On the American issue I worked overseas for many years and worked with many Americans mostly from Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama with one Hawaiian (of all places) and who I will never forget even if I cannot pronounce his name properly! Very few would even contemplate eating lamb or mutton (and don’t mention goat) but in the Middle East it is hard to avoid and this recipe did convince a few to try and they enjoyed it. But admittedly American lamb is pretty bad - unlike their wild turkey which is 1000% better than our UK raised ones. I guess it all goes back to the beef/lamb “wars” from the 1800s and not having the correct grass and wet weather as you get in Welsh lamb country.
bone-in leg or shoulder joint of (Welsh) lamb
chopped rosemary (dried is OK)
chopped lavender - NOT fresh as it won’t cook properly
https://www.amazon.co.uk/TooGet-Culinary-Lavender-Highland-Flowers/dp/B09MQQNQ44/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?adgrpid=1183075410780234&hvadid=73942416193756&hvbmt=bp&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=133297&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=p&hvtargid=kwd-73942352377426%3Aloc-188&hydadcr=22585_2171565&keywords=dried%2Bcooking%2Blavender&qid=1673792408&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1 -here’s some - expensive but you don’t need much each meal and it lasts forever
olive oil (garlic infused if you have it)
balsamic vinegar
20 or so peeled garlic cloves
pat dry the joint if required
make incisions in the fleshy bit of the joint and insert garlic cloves - it may take some pushing in
rub the joint with the oil
rub the joint with the balsamic vinegar
sprinkle over the rosemary and lavender
cook in a medium hot oven until done and starting to fall off the bone, 2-4 hours
don’t fall for that cheffy “lamb should be red/bloody” nonsense or “cook it on high heat and quick”; anything with a bone-in should be cooked long, slow and come off the bone. This way the full flavour develops and the juices from the bone get into the meat plus leaving meat on the bone you cannot eat is wasting money isn’t it?
it may look “burnt” but the balsamic vinegar will give it a lot darker colour than you expect.
once cooked put on a plate, cover in foil and leave to rest 20-30 mins while you cook the veg and gravy and have a swig of wine to check it is fit to serve at the table - Keith Floyd rule
for a change using new potatoes (tinned will do, skin on if available), rub in oil and roast until the skins are crispy rather than boiling them, sprinkle with sea salt then put on the plate
carve and serve with the potatoes, whatever veg you wanted and mint sauce (not that American abomination mint jelly - sorry guys but you should know better)
So true about that jelly!
I did use Coleman’s because I had no mint with which to make sauce, and family loved it.
My husband loves it.. thanks!!