YES! The big day has arrived! We are going to slow roast some lamb. This roast will have three layers of bright joyful lavender notes. Almost provencal actually as I shall also add a little rosemary and garlic. I want the scent of the herb in each different prep step of the lamb. Each separate preparation adds another note. I call this layering. Like the perfume! I am sure there is some fancy-pancy culinary term that I don’t know!!
The first layer of lavender was introduced in the field. You will remember that this roast (aka a Murphy) was grown on our own fields of fresh green clover, lambsquarters and grass. Every week they were fed garlic, cider vinegar, yoghurt and thyme for health. In the last 6 weeks I introduced piles of lavender tips to this mixture. So the first layer of seasoning comes from the field.
The next two layers of lavender are added in the RUB and then the CRUST.
THE RUB: Lamb Massage! I bought a lavender plant when I arrived in California. We used branches of it to smoke the prime rib last night and the rest will be snipped for tonight’s lamb. Poor little denuded lavender. Third son will plant it after I have gone and nurse it back to health.
Salt, pepper and chopped lavender and rosemary are massaged into the meat then I cut little slits and poke in lavender and rosemary tips. Then grab some good big unchopped hunks of the herbs and press all over the meat. Wrap the lot tightly in plastic wrap to keep all those scents inside, and sit for a few hours in the fridge. 
OK after a few hours bring the roast back to room temperature, and pat dry.
THE CRUST
My mother coated the lamb in a thick layer of salt. A similiar principle is used when roasting a whole salt encrusted fish. It holds in all the juices and creates a good crust. Lamb does love salt.
Often, I coat the skin with a crust of wholegrain mustard, peppercorns, garlic, lemon, salt and olive oil.
Today we are going to brush the lamb in a Lavender and Rosemary Mayonnaise. This will hold in all the juices and adds another lavender note. The egg in the mixture will help the crust adhere to the meat.
Lavender Mayo.
Make this in the food processer.
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 clove garlic
- Juice of half a lemon
- 3/4 cup of olive oil
- 2 teaspoons of flax seeds
- 1 small teaspoon each salt and pepper
- 6 or 7 Lavender and Rosemary tips
Blend egg yolks and garlic first until good and fluffy, then drizzle the oil in slowly, slowly, then pulse in the herbs, lemon, flaxseed and salt and pepper. Brush this all over the top of your roast. Keep some for later as well. 
Pour a cup of water into the roasting dish. Surround your roast in whole onions and garlic and more green lavender and rosemary. Allow 25 minutes per pound. This roast is about 6 pound. So 30 minutes at 400 then down to 325 for 2 and a 1/2 hours. Keep in mind that the meat will keep cooking after you have removed it from the oven to rest. Every time you check it, throw a few more sprigs of herb in there and continue to brush with the mayonnaise to create a very popular thick crunchy crust.
About an hour before you eat, hook out all the left over burnt sticks from the herbs and add your potatoes and vegetables to the dripping. Cook with the meat for maximum taste and crunch. (After I transfer the meat to another dish to rest I also transfer the potatoes to another roasting dish so they keep crisping while I make the gravy. mmm GRAVY!.. Homer Simpson Voice)
When you can poke a carving fork into the meat and turn it easily, with no deep red juices flowing you are cooked. Lamb prefers to be cooked to a slight blush of pink. Now rest – no not you, the LAMB! 
Now, we make the GRAVY! Don’t forget the sweet chilli and marmite!
As Bad Baby (Beautiful Daughter) would say “Nom Nom Nom”..
c
The Kitchen's Garden 
53 responses to “Roast: Slow Roasted Lavender Lamb with a side of Joy”
I don’t think I could eat something that used to look at me day after day. Just tell me it was a lamb you didn’t know and it will be ok.
‘It was a lamb i did not know!’ ha ha ha .. pants on fire!!
Bwahahahaha!!!
😀
smiley face!! c
mmmmm…..lamb…..that’s all you had to say…..! lamb! yum =9
ha ha ha.. brilliant! c
That sounds so good! Are you bringing some back? 🙂
I have more!! back at home in the freezer, we are making red cross parcels with these left overs for the local grannies!.. c
Oh wow, that was fantastic…I had to put on some lavender oil just now, it’s all I had 😉
wow, lavender oil, let me know how that goes! c
I’ve never really cooked with lavender before. It just wasn’t part of my family’s arsenal — but garlic and rosemary sure were. I can remember a time when lamb was supposed to be cooked until well-done. There was nothing good about those old days. Thank goodness pink is in! So glad to hear you’re having such a good time with your family. 🙂
Lavender is such a delicate flavour, almost like a scent, so it is perfect for lamb.. c
I know I’m way too old and you don’t live near me… but can you be my mother?
Just sayin’
Third son says that’s fine!! c
Ha, didn’t hurt to ask:)
Delicious way of cooking lamb – we have a thing called a “mechoui” in our area which involves the cooking of a whole lamb. The French aren’t big on Marmite (yet) but they are big on flavour.
I cannot make gravy without Marmite, we have to get it sent over from NZ.. c
I love lamb but I haven’t had it in awhile. And the lavender definitely compliments the lamb in such a wonderful way. Yeah, I would’ve been excited to eat this meal too 🙂
That lavender crust was just amazing. c
Now this is how you get serious about roasting a leg of lamb! Wish I could have had just one little bite to taste.
🙂 Mandy
I am really pleased with the taste mandy, we have been sitting here trying to think of a word to describe how is tastes and it is such a delicate taste.. c
Fabulous! Like Chgo John we always used rosemary and garlic but not the lavender. And now I have a huge bush of it that I am constantly cutting back…I know what to do with some of it. Maybe I could feed it to the passing goats so that when we buy one to eat, it will have “grazed” a little on Lavender?!
Nom nom nom, indeed! Slow cooked shoulder of lamb is on the menu for our weekend too, although possibly for longer – my country-raised husband can’t abide pink lamb, it needs to be well done until falling off the bone.. 🙂
That looks gorgeous 😉
OMG! This is unbelievably delicious! 6 pounds, eh? That’s like 3 kg. So is not just the leg. What part of the Murphy you baked? I can’t wait to try it!
Thanks Celi, enjoy your time and company California girl 😉