I love buying a whole sheep and I prefer an older animal to spring lamb, simply because the flavor is far superior. Good, organically grown meat is not easy to come buy, so if you find a good supplier you must stay with him/her.
Normally when buying a whole sheep, you ask the butcher to pack to your family's needs, chops with chops, knuckles together, but there are always bits and pieces that never fit into a category. I just love those little bits and bobs such as a few knuckles, neck, pieces of rib etc for stews or braising. My gran used to braise meat like this with only the basic spices and this was the taste that I was after tonight.She would in the morning put a big cast iron pot with the meat in the oven and then start her day seeing clients(friends). She was the local dressmaker so there were always people, friends and strangers coming in for fits( clothes). She always used to say "If you are willing to eat what we're having, we would love to have you for lunch. Then she would quietly get up and add a few potatoes to her pot...after a while a carrot or 2 and so lunch would develop and then at 12 she would get up from the sewing machine and say: "Come let's go and see what we can have for lunch." To everyone's amazement she would then take this pot full of goodness from the oven and just make a simple sliced tomato and onion salad. No one ever left her house without having something to eat and I am trying to live this legacy that my gran left us... So this one is for you, gran....
Braised MuttonPreheat oven to 180C
1 kg mutton(neck, a few pieces of rib, knuckles)
4 cloves
coriander, dry roasted and ground
rosemary
a few cloves of garlic,not peeled.
salt and pepper to taste.
!25 ml water
Rub meat with spices and toss into a casserole dish with a lid and add garlic, rosemary and water. Braise in oven for 1-1/2 hours.
Add 4 potatoes, halved and braise for another hour.
Open lid and grill for 15 minutes.
Serve with butternut puree and broccoli. Just to break through the fattiness of the meat, add a simple tomato and onion salad on the side.
Ps. This is not my best photo shoot ever, but the taste, I can guarantee is wonderful and reminds you of days when all food was slow cooked and organic was the norm and not the latest trend.....
9 comments:
Your gran is a generous woman. I bet she is a popular dressmaker. This dish looks great, I wish I could have a bite. :)
Sadly my gran passed away at age 97, but her memory lives on.....
Celebrate your gran's long life (97), which also bodes well for you!
If seasoned right, mutton is a fabulous tasting meat...Easter nears and I'll regale in lamb, mutton, goat after.
I'm so excited to be moving near a butcher instead of relying on the grocery store cuts of meat!!!
that looks so delicious. I can jsut imagine the flavorful broth you could make with all the ods and ends too! i wish i had a grewat butcher also...
My type of eating. My grandmother and mother cooked like this too. Its the best way.
Sounds delicious and fall-apart tender with just enough flavor to make it sing but not so much that it would hide that delicious mutton flavor.
Just like Mike said, looks fall off the bone delcious! Yum... I really do not often make lamb this way. Got to do it!
wow!i wish could cook something like that!
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