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

[Northern Lass]

Thanks for all the ideas guys

would love another veg dish or two

Going to have a go at this over next couple of weeks.

[Antie Em]

Thanks for all the ideas guys

would love another veg dish or two

Going to have a go at this over next couple of weeks.

D'ya know - I just love the old favourites with lamb, sprouts, broccoli, cabbage (small ones cooked whole) and I just love peas. I like veg steamed, and not overdone. Mashed potato and roasted potatoes, par boiled first to make them fluffy on the outside. Don't like carrots or parsnips.

With gravy made from the meat juices and freshly made mint sauce.

Just made for Sunday lunch.

[SRD]

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

Any other Veg from folk?

any Carrot dishes?

I rather like carrots and green beans in a grain mustard sauce but I don't think it would work with the lamb, and the Readers Digest Cooks Scrapbook has an excellent recipe for carrots, baby onions and peas done in a cream sauce that's great with the Christmas turkey (or any other light fowl). There was an Afghani restaurant in Putney that did a fabulous fresh pickled carrot dish but I could never wheedle the recipe out of them but otherwise I tend to do my carrots straight boiled (except as part of a medley of roast roots but it's too early in the season for that). Actually, straight boiled baby carrots might work well if you insist, but don't forget GR said that he thought the stuffing was sufficient veg (there is quite a lot of it).

[gardener]

I don't think mash is a summery thing at all. Who remembers how bad summer chips were in the days when chips were made from real potatoes. I'm voting all forms of mash off this menu.

Broadbeans sounds good to me. Mine are only about the size of a baby's fingers though so I'm not sure that I will manage them myself. Carrots cooked in a little water and butter?

Followed by something light like oven baked any fruit (peach, apricot or plum, halved and stoned, sprinkled with brown sugar plus a tiny bit of water at the bottom of the dish, and a vanilla pod cut up and tucked under, baked in the oven until soft) with whipped cream or ice-cream.

[SRD]

D'ya know - I just love the old favourites with lamb, sprouts, broccoli, cabbage (small ones cooked whole) and I just love peas. I like veg steamed, and not overdone. Mashed potato and roasted potatoes, par boiled first to make them fluffy on the outside. Don't like carrots or parsnips.

With gravy made from the meat juices and freshly made mint sauce.

Just made for Sunday lunch.

Sprouts are so far out of season as to be positively lethal, and frozen ones must be the reason why some people say they don't like them at all. Somehow I've never cottoned on to broccoli, purple sprouting, early in the season, is one of my favourite vegetables, and I really like cauliflower, but those great heads of broccoli just don't do anything for me.

What variety of cabbage do you cook whole? It sounds interesting, not something I've ever tried as usually I find the leaves too cooked or the stem/stump inedible.

I think one has to be careful when planning a special meal to see that all of the individual parts of the meal work well together; one of my biggest complaints in restaurants is the ubiquitous 'veg of the day' dished up regardless of the accompanying meal, as if the same veg is going to go well with a delicately cooked fillet of white fish as a properly cooked steak as a stew enriched with butter and onions. It's different for everday meals when one is trying to not only feed the family but ensure they get a balanced diet but for a special occasion those rules can be put aside.

[SRD]

I don't think mash is a summery thing at all. Who remembers how bad summer chips were in the days when chips were made from real potatoes. I'm voting all forms of mash off this menu.

The point about summer chips was very true, but that was in the days when there were only a handful of varieties available and early potatoes didn't have the requisite 'fluffyness' to make good chips, or roasties, but there are far more varieties available nowadays and one can usually find something that will chip (or roast) adequately, if not well. And with the variableness of the British summer it's always good to be able return to the autumn staples, especially when used in the manner suggested here, with the best of the summer vegetables, before they get too tough and old for a light stir fry. And how can you make fishcakes, a summer dish if ever there was one, without mash?

Broadbeans sounds good to me. Mine are only about the size of a baby's fingers though so I'm not sure that I will manage them myself,

You can eat them whole like that, either dipped in a light batter and shallow fried or steamed like green beans.

....
Followed by something light like oven baked any fruit (peach, apricot or plum, halved and stoned, sprinkled with brown sugar plus a tiny bit of water at the bottom of the dish, and a vanilla pod cut up and tucked under, baked in the oven until soft) with whipped cream or ice-cream.

That's a nice idea, especially the apricots which seem to be particularly good this year.

[grangers14]

True gardener! I used to hatE the taste of mash or chips when potatoes changed season!
I dont make mash still in the summer now although you could use potatoes they say for jackets.

In the summer I use baby pearls I think they are? Just lightly boil them then I add a large knob of butter in a big bowl add dried mint and chives and heat it in the microwave till its starts to spit, a min or so. Then I toss the potatoes in it and make sure its all coated.
Any left I put in the fridge for the next day.
It might work well with lamb this time of year?

[SRD]

That sounds good, will it work with fresh herbs - we have plenty around at the moment?

[Northern Lass]

Thanks all for the advice and tips I will look forward to cooking my Saddle of lamb
with variout accompaniments, Pud and a fine wine!

Please if anyone else wishes to Put another Meal idea on for August or any other time
do so and we can all help you with suggestions as to what to accompany it.

Just start a new thread in the snug.
I will amend the heading now for this meal idea

[Northern Lass]

This is done now so will now move to archive shortly
as I say anyone wishing to put any more recipes on we can run with pls do

Just open up a new thread with the choice of dish you would like ideas on

thanks again to all those that contributed good useful thread

[Annie]

Can I just post before you archive , want ti tell Jo the mash & Leeks were lovely really enjoyed them, thank you Jo.

Annie

[Northern Lass]

Can I just post before you archive , want ti tell Jo the mash & Leeks were lovely really enjoyed them, thank you Jo.

Annie

Yes of course I may just leave it here for a while.
I am torn between doing the mash and leeks and the greek pots

[Annie]

Can I just post before you archive , want ti tell Jo the mash & Leeks were lovely really enjoyed them, thank you Jo.

Annie

Yes of course I may just leave it here for a while.
I am torn between doing the mash and leeks and the greek pots

You will enjoy Northern Lass, I did pork loin in herbs to go with it and Cauli and carrots.

Annie

[grangers14]

Can I just post before you archive , want ti tell Jo the mash & Leeks were lovely really enjoyed them, thank you Jo.

Annie

Yes of course I may just leave it here for a while.
I am torn between doing the mash and leeks and the greek pots

Gald you liked it Annie I love it but also love doing it a slightly other way too... poato bake is it? not for watching waist lines mind!
Thinly sliced potatoes and thinly sliced leeks, alittle grated cheese and layerd in a casserole pot. Pour on a pot of double cream a little bit of butter to the sides to the casserole pot.
In a hot oven till it boils up then turn down for about 3/4 hour. It goes crspy on the top, I leave it to cool a little too before tea. I often add some garlic or cayenne pepper if I want a stronger taste. Yummy.

NL Why dont you try new potatoes with mint and butter? Lamb and minet, mint and lamb? Goes together
Jo

[Annie]

Jo loved your potato bake tried it today but left the cheese out , I don't like cheese plus I'm allergic to it , I will have to walk a few extra miles tomorrow to walk it off my waistline.

Annie