Spring Lamb With Minted Gravy
"This was my father's recipe. He was a professional caterer and loved to develop new recipes. Our family was lucky that he'd try them out on us first! This lamb was excellent.And the unique part about it was that instead of serving it with mint jelly, he incorporated it into a brown gravy, so the flavor is subtle, but incredibly good! I make this every Easter for our family. Preparation time includes two days for marinating"
- Ready In:
- 50hrs
- Ingredients:
- 11
- Serves:
-
12-14
ingredients
- 8 lbs california spring lamb
-
Marinade
- 3⁄4 cup olive oil
- 12 garlic cloves, minced (I mince it in the mini food chopper)
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 3 -4 lemons, juice of
- salt and pepper
-
Minted Gravy
-
For one quart sauce use
- 3 tablespoons good quality beef base (or concentrate)
- 3 1⁄2 cups hot water
- 1⁄2 cup sherry wine
- 1⁄4 cup butter
- 1⁄2 cup mint jelly
directions
- Starting 2-3 days BEFORE cooking, purchase spring lamb.
- At Easter time, it's a good idea to order it from a butcher in advance.
- Have the butcher take the bone out AND remove the gland, but tell him NOT to tie it.
- Ask for the string so you can tie it at home after marinating.
- At home, rub the lamb well, inside and out with the combined marinating ingredients.
- Roll up lengthwise and use the butcher's string to tie it up by tying lengths of string every 2-3 inches.
- Marinate the lamb for two days before cooking.
- On the day of cooking, plan on 2 hours of roasting time.
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Place lamb in roasting pan and roast (uncovered) for 20 minutes and then reduce heat to 250°F and continue baking for about 1 1/2 hours.
- Meat thermometer should reach 140°F.
- Remove lamb from oven and let rest, covered in foil, while making gravy.
- Make one quart of brown gravy using a good quality beef base and diluting it with 3 1/2 cups hot water.
- Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and thicken with roux.
- Add the sherry and butter, whisking to blend well.
- Season with salt and pepper and stir in the mint jelly, stirring until melted.
- Serve with lamb.
- For roux: Melt 4 tbsp butter in saucepan over medium heat, and add 4 tbsp flour.
- Stir constantly with wooden spoon about 1 minute.
- Remove from heat.
- (See "roux" search if you need further details).
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Reviews
-
Imatrad...Thank You!!! I served this for our Easter Lunch and had compliments all day..Followed your recipe exactly and it turned out just right, the mint gravy was the icing on the cake (so to speak!!) Guess what I'll be cooking for Easter next year??? Yep...it's a keeper!
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
I'm married and a stay at home mom. My dad was a caterer, and loved to cook, making his own homemade Italian sausage several times a year. Our family has always been in the food business, and I have inherited his love of food and preparing it for my family and friends. I especially like preparing something outstanding for the kid's birthday dinners, and serving it up on the good china, crystal, candles, the works. They know that they can ask me to make anything for that night. I think it makes them feel very loved, and pampered. I enjoy doing different themed dinners for my family and friends, including adding special decor to the dining room to set the theme.
