Saddle of Lamb.....A la Carte in the Snug----------JULY

[Northern Lass]

Anyone going to cook this with me or is it round my place for a big meal!

Might tie it in with Bob Leathers visit

[SRD]

NL: Yup, the Greek ones look spot on.

Sue's roasties look so flexible they could be used to add interest to a lot of straight forward cooked meats and Annie's mash (colcannon, or champ, there's always argument about which is which) is really good with sausages, gammon steaks or pork chops. I like it made with leeks as well, or cavolo nero to go with a beef sausage casserole. MrsSRD makes a mash with raw onion chopped into it to go with her pork goulash, an idea she picked up in a Polish restaurant in Richmond-on-Thames that she used to frequent.

Pudding anyone? It's a bit late for rhubarb, a crumble would follow the lamb on really well, but there are gooseberries on our bushes and if you wanted a cold pud you could make a gooseberry fool (Nigel Slater's recipe is good if you can get past his preciousness) or, for a hot one, knock up some pound cake mix (pound of flour, pound of eggs, pound of butter, pound of sugar) in a mixer. Melt 4 tablespoons of soft brown sugar in 2 oz. butter and pour into a baking dish, tightly pack a layer of gooseberries on top and pour the cake mix on top. Bake at Mark4, 180C, 350F (a bit cooler if you've got a fan oven) for around an hour, maybe longer. About 10 minutes before the end of cooking sprinkle some granulated sugar on top. Good with cream, ice-cream or custard. The recipe comes from Jane Grigson's English Food which should keep Mik happy.

I'm wondering if a Cos lettuce salad dressed with oil and lemon juice with a sprinkle of dill or fennel leaf might work with the lamb if we're eating in the garden or if you like the continental idea of having salad with your main course.

But hey, this isn't just my menu, there's plenty of time for others to come up with some other ideas.

I'm not too fond of Riesling, too flowery for my taste, but I can see why those who prefer white would find it good with the food. It might go with the gooseberry fool though. Home made elderflower champagne, not too sweet, would go with gooseberries as well. Do we have any home wine makers on board?

Another thought has struck me; I reckon a good Yorkshire bitter would work well for those that don't drink wine.

[snoopysue]

Yeh, my roast spuds can be used for pretty much anything, I just change the herbs or spices to suit. We even do then instead of chips, as you can only get those silly french things here (I do miss proper chips!).

As for puds, as SRD says, a crumble would be good, just use the fruit that's at hand - with a good custard (mouth's watering already).

Don't think I'll be doing lamb though - not my favorite meat I'm afraid!

[Northern Lass]

This is the whole Idea of this thread
Just take from it what you fancy, Have a go at cooking or don't up to you.

I like the idea of a crumble too.

[Annie]

Mrs SRD mashed potatoes with raw onions sounds good I will try them later this week.

Annie

[Antie Em]

Anyone going to cook this with me or is it round my place for a big meal!

Might tie it in with Bob Leathers visit

I's round at your place for a big meal

[grangers14]

Have you tried mashed potatoes with cabbage mixed in and spring onions .

Annie

I do something like but with leeks.
Mash and cooked leeks in a little olive oil all mixed in mmmm...

Like all the ideas but no lamb cooked here am affraid, hubby wont eat it!
I'll come round Nl if you give me a bed to let it all rest in!
Jo

[Annie]

Have you tried mashed potatoes with cabbage mixed in and spring onions .

Annie

I do something like but with leeks.
Mash and cooked leeks in a little olive oil all mixed in mmmm...

Like all the ideas but no lamb cooked here am affraid, hubby wont eat it!
I'll come round Nl if you give me a bed to let it all rest in!
Jo

Hi Jo your mash and leeks also sound good, you fry the leeks in Olive Oil then add them to mash , or do you cook the lot in oil .
Not very good at cooking so have to ask.

[Jimmy]

Like all the ideas but no lamb cooked here am affraid, hubby wont eat it!
I'll come round Nl if you give me a bed to let it all rest in!
Jo

Same here I won't eat lamb, my other loves it, but me beef, I prefer to see the lamb skipping around the fields.

[grangers14]

Annie...I do mash as normal and while thats cooking heat oil up and add sliced leek. I like it best in olive oil but doesnt have to be. Fry them off and stir in all the leeks and oil to the mash. It is really lovely!

Jimmy... NOT to put anyone off lamb! My husband used to work on a farm at weekends from being a kid and he said the amount of lambs hed seen poorly with all sorts of things there is no way he would eat it!

[Annie]

Annie...I do mash as normal and while thats cooking heat oil up and add sliced leek. I like it best in olive oil but doesnt have to be. Fry them off and stir in all the leeks and oil to the mash. It is really lovely!

Jimmy... NOT to put anyone off lamb! My husband used to work on a farm at weekends from being a kid and he said the amount of lambs hed seen poorly with all sorts of things there is no way he would eat it!

Jo thank you for that , I always use Olive Oil , will be trying it sounds lovely and I like something different.

Jimmy what about the poor cows plodding about the field .

Annie

[Jimmy]

At least the cows have had a good chance to plod around the field.

[SRD]

Annie...I do mash as normal and while thats cooking heat oil up and add sliced leek. I like it best in olive oil but doesnt have to be. Fry them off and stir in all the leeks and oil to the mash. It is really lovely!

I like to stir fry the leek/spring onion/cabbage in the cooking juices from whatever meat I've cooked; sausages/chops/gammon with a little bit of extra butter (we do use quite a lot of butter in cooking). The meat keeps hot in the oven where the plates are warming for the few minutes that it takes to cook the veg. I tend to add the mash to the veg as stirring it round to mix it in picks up all those lovely bits stuck to the pan.

[Northern Lass]

That sounds nice the mashed potatoe with leeks never thought of that.

Any other Veg from folk?

any Carrot dishes?

[snoopysue]

Annie...I do mash as normal and while thats cooking heat oil up and add sliced leek. I like it best in olive oil but doesnt have to be. Fry them off and stir in all the leeks and oil to the mash. It is really lovely!

Jimmy... NOT to put anyone off lamb! My husband used to work on a farm at weekends from being a kid and he said the amount of lambs hed seen poorly with all sorts of things there is no way he would eat it!

I blame my Dad, he always says "Mint Sauce, baaaaa" when passing any new born lambs!