Trying to stay apolitical at the moment. Which is hard for me since I am a political anorak with very definite libertarian views. The current anarchy on top of the global lockdown on people’s freedoms is very hard to stay neutral about.
So I shall distract with a very brief note on cooking – the perfect leg of roast lamb. Tonight’s triumph was not, sadly, salt marsh lamb from a closely neighbouring farm, reared with dedication and slaughtered locally. I used to get that when I lived elsewhere but here, no. I have to make do with a supermarket product. To be fair, the particular budget supermarket I frequent does excellent English lamb and this was no exception.
Working from home has meant that I have time to cook slow dishes and be able to keep an eye on them. I have also been eating less, making one meal a day more common than not and therefore it has been very important to make that one, a good one. To that end I put the roast on at only 110C at around 1pm. It was laid in a deep dish with fresh bay leaves and rosemary stalks under it, studded with garlic. On top a slick of olive oil, salt, pepper and rosemary leaves.
The amazing smell began about 2.30. Work progressed. Calls were made. Finally supper time. The meat doesn’t dry out at these low temperatures. It just gets very tender. The rosemary leaves are crisp and almost buttery. Served with simple greens and a little of the meat juice. Simple.
A bit like stock cubes I have had to cheat and use a stock photo… damnation to waiting on a good meal to take pictures of it!
Jeremiah Hope 