posted by Liz Thomas 10-12-100 10:04 PM
Chinese New Year Leg of Lamb
Ginger Port:
Peel a knob of ginger (about 1 1/2”) and crush in a pestle and mortar. Place in a jam jar and fill up with white port (Ferreira is a good brand). Seal and leave for 24 hours – shake it occasionally. Strain through a cloth and store in a jar – it keeps indefinitely. Great for barbecues
Roast Lamb:
1 boned leg of lamb
A little peach juice
Stuffing:
1 large fresh peach, skinned and finely chopped (or substitute canned if fresh is not available).
1/4” piece of ginger, finely chopped
2 spring onions, chopped
2 shallots, chopped
1 tbsp. pine nuts – toast in a dry pan to brown them a little
1 cup fresh whole-wheat bread crumbs
2 large sprigs parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg
1/2 oz. melted butter
1 egg
Salt and black pepper to taste
Wash and dry the lamb. Rinse with vinegar and pat dry (this reduces the “lamby” smell). Brush all over with ginger port and sprinkle with pepper.
Combine all the stuffing ingredients and spread over the lamb leaving the edges clear. Pack any excess stuffing into a small pan to roast alongside the lamb. Roll up the leg to enclose all the stuffing and tie with kitchen string.
Fill a hypodermic syringe with 50/50 mix of ginger port and peach juice and inject the lamb all over. (A syringe is a marvellous kitchen tool – try injecting a chicken with a little brandy before roasting).
Place the lamb in a roasting tin, pour over about 5 tbsp. of olive oil and a little melted butter. Sprinkle with pepper and a little grated nutmeg and roast as usual (about 1 1/2 hours) in a medium-hot oven till done to taste. Roast potatoes around the lamb if liked.
Sweet-Sour Orange-Peach Sauce :
1 cup peach juice
6 miniature oranges
2 shallots finely chopped
1 knob of butter
1 tbsp. cornflour
1 tbsp.ginger port
2 tsp. sugar
4 tsp. cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp. Cointreau
Squeeze the juice from the oranges and add to the peach juice. Shred the orange skins finely and blanch in boiling water for one minute. Strain and reserve.
Sauté the shallots in butter till soft but not brown, add peach/orange juice and orange peel and simmer till the peel is translucent. Dissolve the cornflour in the ginger port and add to the sauce, simmer, stirring continuously, till thickened. Remove from heat and add the Cointreau. Taste and season with salt and pepper as required and add more sugar if necessary.
To Serve:
Remove the string from the lamb, set on a serving dish, serve the sauce in a sauceboat.
Scour the markets for fresh young Chinese vegetables: bok choi, choi sam, small lotus root, water chestnuts, mange tout peas and green beans. Look out for baby carrots complete with leafy tops – these are actually used as “Dragon Food” in the Chinese New Year celebrations but I am sure the dragons won’t mind if you eat them too!
Prepare: Chop and boil each vegetable individually till just done, then, just before serving, stir-fry quickly with salt, pepper and a knob of butter.
From: “Celebration City – Macau” Magazine January 1996 Copyright: Liz Thomas/Imagination Macau