Canadians by and large have never been really big lamb eaters. In fact, I don't think I'd ever eaten lamb until I moved to Australia. Since then though, I've just grown to love lamb fiercely for all sorts of reasons, not the least of which is that, in my opinion anyway, lamb really does the most spectacular job of being roasted.
It achieves a lovely crusty outside that is never as crispy, or golden or aromatic as on a beef or pork roast. The heavenly roasted taste of deeply browned meat is just spectacular. My mouth is watering at the mere contemplation of a nice crispy bit off the end of a good lamb roast.
Unfortunately, my ability to make nice crispy yet juicy lamb roasts has however not be terribly consistent and has certainly not kept pace with my cravings. I am the first to admit this is likely due to my lack of understanding of the lamb. Although I am sure that it is at least partly because, living in beef country, the selection of lamb here is not the greatest. The only reliably available lamb is frozen and imported from New Zealand. I have only ever found fresh lamb at the Strathcona Farmers Market and it seems that the two or three meat vendors there are all sold out of their (clearly insufficient) supplies by 11 am. And the likelihood of me getting to the market before 11 on a Saturday is not all that great I must admit.
In an attempt to remedy this situation, I've ordered a whole spring lamb from a farmer relative in Saskatchewan. It'll come cut and wrapped (thank god). But until Mary's Little Lamb arrives, I will made do with what's on offer from our Antipodean friends in the freezer section at Save On Foods.
If you're like me, you love the gorgeous rich roast taste you get with a nice lamb roast, but you have not yet found how to make a consistently great roast, or maybe your lamb isn't all that it could be to begin with, then this recipe gives you the best of both worlds I think....A nice fragrant roast lamb taste, but fall apart tender meat. Alas, the one thing it lacks is crispy skin, but then you can't always have it all can you. It even comes with its own tasty side dish!
Braised lamb with white beans
- 1 lamb leg roast, boned and rolled (approx. 3 to 4 pounds)
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large sweet onion, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 500 ml good red wine
- 1 large tin (850ml) chopped plum tomatoes in juice
- 4 sprigs thyme plus 1 teaspoon loose leaves
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 cups chicken stock
- sea salt
- pepper
- 2 (approx. 350ml) tins cannelini beans, rinsed and drained
- flour & water to thicken
- 2 medium zucchini, sliced into rounds
- 1 red or yellow capsicum, chopped
- 1 cup chopped flat leaf parsley (reserve a few leaves for garnish)
Before you start, inspect the kind of wrapping or twine that your roast came tied with. If it is the elastic-net like kind, remove it and re-tie your roast with proper kitchen twine, otherwise the elastic will melt in the frying pan and you'll end up with an untied roast covered in little gobs of melted rubber.
Heat a large frying pan until just about at the smoking point. When the pan is ready, add the oil and then immediately place the lamb roast in the oil. brown the lamb on all sides thoroughly, until the entire outside is gorgeous and dark and crispy.
Pop the lamb into your slow cooker and turn it to the low setting.
lower the heat on the frying pan to medium-high and fry your onions and garlic for a few minutes until they start to colour and get a bit soft. Add them to the slow cooker. Deglaze the pan with the red wine, and pour it over everything in the slow cooker. Add the tomatoes, thyme, lemon zest and chicken stock. Cover and allow to cook for six to 8 hours.
Remove the roast from the juice and set aside under foil.
Pour the hot juice into a saucepan over medium high heat. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs. Reduce the sauce until you feel it tastes strongly enough for you, I only reduced mine slightly. Season it with salt and pepper and add in the beans. Cook for 10 minutes. Shake up 2-4 tablespoons flour and 1/3 cup cold water in a jar. while stirring the sauce, pour the flour mixture in to thicken. Continue to cook and stir. Add the zucchini and capsicum and cook for a further 8 to 10 minutes. Stir through the parsley.
Meanwhile, slice the lamb.
To serve, ladle some of the bean mixture into a shallow soup plate and top with pieces of lamb. Sprinkle a few bits of fresh parsley over.
Oh yums! And that bowl is just divine - I love it!
Posted by: MM | March 19, 2006 at 10:03 PM
Hmm, there's been quite the run of "comfort foods" since your return from Australia. Anything to do with the weather here in Edmonton?
Hang in there, the end of winter is certainly near! (Then it will snow in June)
This is a recipe that I would like to try with pork. Any thoughts or suggestions?
Thanks
Posted by: Tanya | March 19, 2006 at 11:01 PM
My suggestion to you: *try* getting to the farmer's market *once* at 8AM. Just bite the bullet and do it. And I bet you do it again--it's a completely different experience.
Posted by: Idealistic Pragmatist | March 20, 2006 at 06:04 AM
MM, The bowl was a gift from our sweet neighbours for looking in on thier cats while they were away. I love that bowl.
Tanya, I think this would work well with proc. Just make sure you get a really good cut with a bit of fat on the outside and through the middle. If you use too lean a cut you just won't gaet the same nice rich browned taste, and I find that when I do lean pork in the slow cooker it ends up quite a lot drier than other meats. Not sure why this is.
Idealistic Pragmatist, Ha. Your words may sound convincing to me during waking hours, but I know that next Saturday morning, I just don't stand a chance. Maybe if we hadn't bought the feather bed....and if the kitties weren't all cuddly and warm...I might just go back to be right now.
Posted by: Lyn | March 20, 2006 at 09:36 AM
Yeah, food, blah blah. That bowl is gorgeous! I want.
Posted by: Stephanie | March 20, 2006 at 11:18 AM
What a gorgeous photograph and delicious looking meal! I just discovered your blog and will be checking it religiously! If you are interested in food blogging in general, you should check this [out] when you get a minute! Happy blogging!
Posted by: Shari | March 20, 2006 at 02:54 PM
Shari,
Thanks. I hope I live up to your expectations!
Posted by: Lyn | March 28, 2006 at 07:58 PM
Tanya,
I'm hoping the run of comfort foods will slow now that its starting to feel officially like spring. Can't poss. have spring without a good puddle.
Posted by: Lyn | March 28, 2006 at 07:59 PM
Yea!!
Made this recipe with the pork (I'll try lamb another time, I promise). Sooo good and absolutely loved the side dish. I had extra sauce so I made a saucy couscous with the parsley.
Thanks Lyn!!!
Posted by: Tanya | March 28, 2006 at 10:54 PM
Tanya,
tahnks for lewtting me know how it turned out. Isn't it great to get an awsome meal out of a slow cooker? No work but oh so godd!
Posted by: Lyn | March 29, 2006 at 06:38 PM
ROC (rest of Canada) may not be big into lamb, but rest assured, a *lot* of Quebecers love it. Mmmm, garlic, rosemary and lamb. ;)
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