LAMB EN CROÛTE

LAMB EN CROÛTE

2.2kg leg of lamb, boned

150 ml red wine

350 g park sausagemeat

100 g streaky bacon, rinded and chopped

15 ml almonds or pistachio nuts, blanched and chopped

salt and pepper

30 ml vegetable oil

2 medium onions, skinned and sliced

few thyme sprigs or a pinch of dried thyme

1 bay leaf

3 parsley stalks

1 garlic clove, skinned and crushed

411 g (15 oz) can chicken consommé or 450 ml Chicken Stock

368 g (13 oz) packet frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 egg, beaten

30 ml cornflour

1. Trim the lamb of excess fat, then marinate in the wine for 2 – 3 hours, turning it occasionally.


2. Mix the sausagemeat, bacon and nuts and season. Remove the meat from the wine and dry. Reserve marinade. Stuff the cavity with the sausagemeat and sew both ends with string.


3. Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole and quickly fry the lamb to brown. Add the onions and cook for 2 – 3 minutes until browned. Add the thyme, bay leaf, parsley, garlic, consommé and reserved marinade. Cover, and cook in the oven at 170°C mark 3 for 2 hours. Remove the meat and cool. Reserve the juices.


4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to an oblong 50 cm x 25 cm. remove the string from the meat. Place the lamb in the centre and brush the edges of the pastry with egg. Make a parcel by folding the pastry edges over lengthways and turn the parcel over so that the join is underneath. Fold the ends under the meat on a baking sheet. Decorate with the pastry trimmings. Chill for about 30 minutes until the pastry is firm. Brush with beaten egg, then bake in the oven at 230°C mark 8 for about 45 minutes, covering with foil if overbrowning.


5. For the gravy, strain the juices into a pan. Blend the cornflour with 30 ml water. Stir into the pan, bring to the boil. Serve separately.
   Serves 8 – 10

LAMB EN CROÛTE