A to Z, Stews in Wartime.

I’m pleased to say I only have four more blogs to write for the A to Z. I’m not sure what date the great theme reveal is supposed to be, but it must be no surprise to anyone that mine is basically food oriented. When I remember being a little kid and sitting with a mouthful of stew at the kitchen table and refusing to swallow it, it amazes me that I developed an interest in food. My mother was a stupendous cook but this would have been during the war years (WWII) mind you, when a lot of the things we take for granted were not available; even today, I am not that keen on stews although I make them for us because Matt likes them and it is a convenient way of cooking to shove everything in the crockpot and forget about it.  I wonder if wine was available during the war years, I suspect not. Garlic was virtually unheard of when I was a child. I just found a fascinating BBC article called Christmas Under Fire describing what it was like at Christmas over the 6 years of the Second World War. Worth reading if you are interested in history.

Being originally from England, leg of lamb is something I often cook but this recipe is very different in its use of anchovies in particular. I know it’s not long since I posted a lamb recipe, but Easter is the time for lamb.

Roast Leg of Lamb

Julia Moskin for the New York Times.

Ingredients

• 1 large lamb roast with a cap of fat, 4 to 6 pounds: bone-in leg (these can be as large as 8 pounds), semiboneless leg, bone-in shoulder, boneless butterflied leg or double loin
• 2 ounces (1 can) anchovies packed in olive oil, drained, or 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• Leaves from 6 fresh rosemary sprigs (2 heaping tablespoons leaves), plus extra sprigs and branches for garnish
• 6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
• 4 ounces unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• Black pepper
• 1 lemon, cut in half
• 1 ¾ cups white wine, plus extra for gravy

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Use a small sharp knife to make about a dozen incisions, each about 2 inches deep, through the fat that covers the top of the meat. Using a mortar and pestle or a blender, blend 2/3 of the anchovies (or 2/3 of the mustard if using), the rosemary leaves and the garlic cloves into a chunky paste. Using your fingers, press paste deeply into incisions.
2. Mix remaining anchovies (or mustard) and the butter into a paste. Smear this mixture all over the surface of the roast. Season liberally with black pepper. (Do not add salt; the anchovies are salty enough, and so is the mustard.) Place the lamb on a rack in a roasting pan, fat side up, and squeeze the lemon halves over. Pour the wine around the roast into the pan.
3. Roast 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and roast until internal temperature reaches 130 to 135 degrees (for medium-rare or medium meat), about another 60 to 90 minutes. Baste every 20 minutes or so with the wine and drippings in the pan, adding more wine as needed to keep the liquid from scorching. If possible, for the last 15 minutes of cooking, use convection or a broiler to crisp the fat on the roast.
4. Remove pan from the oven, remove rack from the pan, and let the roast rest on the rack for at least 15 to 20 minutes in a warm place, tented with foil. The internal temperature will rise to about 140 to 145 degrees.
5. To make sauce from the pan drippings, remove a few tablespoons of fat by tipping the pan and spooning off the top layer. Put the pan over medium heat until the liquid simmers. Taste the simmering liquid and whisk in more wine, 1/4 cup at a time, until the consistency and flavor are right. Do not let the mixture become syrupy; it should be a sharp jus, not a thick gravy.
6. Carve lamb into 1/2-inch-thick slices and arrange on a heated platter, decorated with rosemary sprigs. Serve with piping hot gravy.

Have a great day