Oregano and Garlic Roasted Lamb

This dish, I was quite 'meh' about. In the end, after cooking, it all seemed very bland and I don't know if I under seasoned it or there was not enough flavour... But the dish all tasted the same after the first mouthful and Hubby and I didn't enjoy it all that much.

I think it might have been the wrong cut of meat too as the lamb leg was nice and pink but there was so much fat left on it that hadn't rendered down. It would have benefited from a long slow cooking more, in my humble opinion.

So a few days later, that's what I did. Cut up all the leftovers, added a crapload of veggies and baked it with some beef stock into a pie. The meat was falling apart on our fork and the stock and rosemary I added gave it a much richer flavour.

Waste not, want not. Was a great second dish.

Herb-Crusted Veal (...Lamb) Loin

I'm now getting into the dishes with ingredients that are completely foregin to me. Like Veal. We don't eat veal at all. Not for any reason in particular, but because it's just not something I go out to buy and eat.

That's one of the things I'm loving about this challenge, is that I'm pushed a little out of my comfort zone. I'm leaning new techniques and eating things I wouldn't generally try. And loving it all.

But, when I went to look for a Veal loin here to cook I couldn't find one. So settled on Lamb instead. I understand that the flavour is different, but I'm working with what I have available to me.

This dish I love. I'm already planning on cooking it again this weekend for guests. It was so so so easy too. Brown the loin in the pan. Cover in the mustard and lemon combo. Oven bake for 10 min. Rest for 10 min. Roll in the chopped herbs. Easy. The meat was so well rested and just blushing when I cut it, just the way it should be.

The actual recipe is just for the Veal Loin alone, so I added pureed carrots and steamed beans and asparagus to the dish for dinner. Married so well together.

And just to top it off I cooked the juices from the Lamb in a sauce pan and thickened them with some Arrowroot flour for a jus to top the lamb off. The icing on the cake. Perfection.

Minted Lamb Leg

Sorry, no photos for this one. It was eaten too quick on empty stomachs, and I completely forgot about photos.

This one is in the 'Spring' section of the Seasons book, but now that the weather is cooler I'm leaning more toward roasts as having the oven on warms the house so nicely. The heat radiates through the tiled floors and take the chill out of the evening air. Then the lovely warm food sits well in the our cool bellies. Perfect cool weather food.

I loved the addition of malt vinegar to base the meat. It left a beautiful sweet layer on crust and just worked so well.

Neither of us eat asparagus, so instead I served it with a small salad. Now that it's cooler, some mash potato might be called for.

:)

Apple and Mint Lamb with Crunchy Salad

I LOVED this dish. For a few reasons. But honestly, absolutely loved it!!

Now, good luck trying to find Lamb Cutlets in Dysart. Or finding them at a decent place any where near here. So instead I bought a rack of lamb, which I found to be cheaper, and sliced them into cutlets. Oh, and radishes. Good luck again. But, I wasn't too phased by that, as I don't like radishes, so I just replaced them with beans to keep the crunch in the salad.

The best part about this dish is the apple and mint sauce. Oh. My. God. It was B-E-A-UTIFUL, and complimented the Lamb so well. Not too minty, not too much apple and just perfect cooked in the pan juices from the lamb.

If you're ever going to buy a book for just once recipe, make it this one.

Oh and the second reason I love this dish:

 My son ate it!!