Roast: Slow Roasted Lavender Lamb with a side of Joy

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”..

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