PAW's Recipe of the Month January 2014 -Pot Roast Lamb

So we start a New Year with more culinary adventures to explore and to learn new shortcuts or acquire information to help our daily house management.

It occurred to me that many seem to spend quite a pretty penny on house fragrances or smelly candles in an attempt to cover existing smells or make our houses smell fresh and pleasant. Whilst there is a holistic approach here making the psyche happy there is nothing finer than the smell of good home cooking. (not fry of course) One good way of eliminating smells is to burn candles – this is good for killing fish smells and fry smells. Using white vinegar – boiled with water is also good. A little strong at first but does the job. Keeping rooms aired and well ventilated is essential

Healthy eating must be aided by a fully functioning digestive system, just like an engine and needs to be started and warmed up. The process starts when we smell food. This kick starts the brain and sends messages to parts of the body to expect food. The next stimulus is sight. By this time the body is prepared for consumption. If this simple process is not enacted then you could suffer from indigestion or acid re-flux as the body is not ready. In our fast living eating too quickly can also have consequences? Eating should be a ritual in order to avoid digestive problems.

Our memories are amazing stores of information. Have you been conscious of feeling safe and comfortable when a smell invokes a happy memory or fearful when a bad or unpleasant smell is recognised? Some smells can be happy ones and some bad, each of us has our own associations and reactions. Personally I can never understand the attitude; if you can smell bleach then it has to be clean. Years ago we had a room maid who instead of using the furniture polish to clean they used it as an air freshener, so rooms always smelled clean – though no surfaces had been touched.

The scientific process of cooking cannot be shortcut. If something is to be cooked long and slow then that is how it has to be. Meats for slow cooking become tough and rubbery if boiled instead of poaching, stewing or braising. So do not think you can save time by turning up the heat - it doesn’t work. This is why I continue to encourage you to plan and manage your cooking times and not last minute panic.

Pot Roast Lamb – oven or slow cooker – serves 4

Half Shoulder of Lamb on the Bone                    3 Sprigs of Rosemary

1 Red Onion cut into wedges                               2 tbsp Redcurrant Jelly

250ml Red Wine                                                      250ml Lamb Stock

S & P

Optional – add chopped carrots, parsnips, squash, swede

1. Put the Lamb into the Slow cooker or casserole dish – top with Rosemary and tuck Onion (and optional Vegetables down the sides)
2. Melt together the Red Currant Jelly, Red Wine and Stock and bring to boil – pour over the Lamb.
3. Slow cook for 7 – 8 hours or casserole in a low oven for 4 -6 hours till tender.
4. Lift out the Lamb – discard the Rosemary and serve the carved meat with the juices. Accompany with New potatoes and crispy green vegetables or make crushed potatoes – add some finely chopped Rosemary and a little Crème Fraiche and some chopped cooked Broccoli all mixed together. Pile into centre of plates – top with Lamb and pour gravy round the edge.