Citizens, a very happy Easter Sunday to all of you who celebrate the holiday!
As Easter is a celebration across many cultures and countries, I, the masterful and incomparably versatile TFD, have created this recipe without borders!
It uses ingredients from Europe, Asia, the Americas and more with the meat most associated with this pastoral holiday (pun intended) – lamb! Truth be told, I created this recipe by foraging through my fridge, liquor cabinet and spice rack, but the result is not just good: it’s one of the best recipes I’ve ever created! 🙂
I’ve paired this succulent boneless leg of lamb with a classic English mint sauce and a French-inspired Demiglace gravy. Fear not, noble Scots, your noble Drambuie liqueur, made from whisky, honey and herbs is the primary flavor of the lamb!
Mint sauce is a sauce traditionally made from finely chopped peppermint leaves, soaked in vinegar, and a small amount of sugar.
Occasionally, the juice from a squeezed lime is added. The sauce should have the consistency of heavy cream. In British and Irish cuisine, it is traditionally used as a complement to roast lamb (but usually not other roast meats) or, in some areas, mushy peas.
Mint sauce can be used in some recipes in place of fresh mint. It can be eaten on toast or bread, and can be added to yogurt to make a mint raita. “Sweet and sour” sauces such as mint sauce were common throughout Medieval Europe (with the use of mint being more common in French and Italian cuisine of the period than that of the English).
However, they eventually became less common and mostly died out as Europe entered the Modern Era.
Citizens, I wish you a meaningful Easter Sunday and a delicious feast upon your return from Church with my magnificent recipe!
Battle on – The Generalissimo
PrintThe Hirshon Drambuie Roast Lamb With Gravy And The Hirshon Mint Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 5 1/4 pound boneless leg of lamb
- Marinate said leg for 8 hours in the following:
- 2 cups Drambuie
- 4 cups unfiltered Apple cider
- 1 tbs. dried marjoram
- 2 Bay leaves
- 1 tbs. Lavender
- 1/2 tbs. smoked salt
- 1 tbs. horseradish mustard
- 4 ‘petals’ Star Anise (from a single Star)
- 1 VERY large head garlic
- 1/2 bunch fresh thyme
- 1/2 bunch fresh chervil
- Leaves from one stem of Rosemary
- 7 leaves fresh Sage
- 1/2 bunch curly parsley (leaves and a bit of stem)
- leaves from 1/2 a bunch fresh oregano
- All ground together in the blender.
- For stuffing in the lamb, combine the following in the blender:
- Mixed herbs paste (leftover from making the marinade the night before)
- 3 Anchovy fillets
- Enough Drambuie to reduce to a smooth paste
- For the gravy and cooking:
- 1 small tub Perfect Addition demiglace
- Goose fat (preferred), duck fat or grapeseed oil
- Potato starch or cornstarch
- Hirshon Mint Sauce
- 3 bunches mint, leaves and a bit of stem
- About 5 stems parsley (helps to keep the green color, mint tends to go brown without something to ‘fix’ the color)
- 8 packets Turbinado sugar
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- about 4 tablespoons limeade (I just had some in the fridge, lime juice would work just as well)
Instructions
- After 8 hours of marinating, drain the lamb, reserve and strain the marinade (reserve the solids), put into a large pot or wok, reduce by 20%, add demiglace and reduce by about 50% or until thick. Reserve. Wrap meat in plastic wrap.
- The next day, cut 3 deep slits in the top of the lamb.
- Combine the following in the blender:
- Mixed herbs (leftover from making the marinade the night before, but try and remove the rosemary in this)
- 3 Anchovy fillets (TFD prefers Ortiz brand)
- Enough Drambuie to reduce to a paste
- Stuff the paste into the slits, then rub the entire leg with Goose fat, and lots of it.
- Put into a preheated 450 degree oven for about 7 minutes, then reduce to 375 and cook for 1 ¾ hours, or until it reaches 140 with a meat thermometer.
- Check this carefully at the 1 ½ hour mark, as you want most of the lamb rare to medium-rare. Allow to rest 15 minutes, then carve and serve with gravy and mint sauce.
- Heat the gravy in a saucepan, add sufficient potato or cornstarch (mixed with some gravy, do not put directly in or it will lump up) to thicken.
- For the mint sauce: blend all ingredients.
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