Recipes

We should be glad to include on this page your favourite recipes using lamb or mutton. Please send by email to rutinum@aol.com .
Mutton, Fennel & Mushroom Casserole
Serves: 3-4. Cooking time: Approximately 2 hours Temperature: Gas Mark 3, 170°C, 325°F

INGREDIENTS
450g (1 lb) lean mutton braising cubes (shoulder or leg)
1 onion, cut into chunks
2 cloves garlic, crushed
150g (5oz) wild or button mushrooms
1 fennel, cut into wedges
2 x 15ml sp (2 tbsp) redcurrant jelly
150 ml (¼ pt) red wine
450 ml (¾ pt) stock
170g (6 oz) ready made fresh garlic bread loaf, cut into marked slices or make your own with low fat spread.

METHOD:
1. In a large casserole dish place all the ingredients except the garlic bread.
2. Mix well, cover and place in a preheated oven for approximately 2 hours or until the meat is tender. Thicken sauce if necessary (see below)
3. Remove casserole lid and arrange garlic bread slices on top. Return to the oven for a further 15 minutes

Serve with garlic bread, steamed cabbage, and mash potato with cabbage stirred through.

By courtesy of the Sheep Farmer, October 2004

To thicken sauce, mix 2 oz. softened butter with 2 rounded tablespoons plain wholemeal flour, stir into the sauce and keep stirring over a low heat until the sauce is thickened. Season to taste. Then proceed to stage 3 above.

Stuffed Shoulder of Mutton

Cooking time 3-4 hours, depending on size of shoulder
Temperature: Gas Mark 3, 170°C, 325°F

INGREDIENTS
1 large mutton shoulder
1 cup bread crumbs
¼ cup chopped shallots
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
Grated rind of ½ lemon
1 tbsp butter
Sea salt
Black pepper
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 egg, beaten well
Butter or goose fat for basting

METHOD
Remove the blade bone from the shoulder, or have the butcher do it. Mix together the crumbs, shallots, parsley, lemon rind, butter, salt, pepper, nutmeg and egg. Stuff the boned cavity, sew up or clip the opening, dot butter or goose fat over the surface and roast. During cooking baste frequently. Allow 25 minutes to the pound and 25 minutes over.

Serve with Madeira gravy, roast potatoes and steamed sweetstem broccoli.

Festive Mutton Bake

Cooking time: approximately 1-3 hours, depending on cut of meat used
Temperature: Gas Mark 3, 170°C, 325°F

The main part of this dish is the chestnut and cranberry mix and this can either be used as a stuffing for a boned joint such as leg or shoulder of mutton or lamb, or it can be layered on top of cuts such as chops or cutlets for a quick meal.

INGREDIENTS
Joint of mutton or lamb, boned, or chops or cutlets of mutton or lamb
Chestnut mix (this amount is enough for a 3-4 lb. joint or 8 chops or cutlets)
250 g Chestnut purée (unsweetened)
6 tbsps. sherry
6 tbsps. chicken stock
pinch Pimenton Picante (hot Paprika)
½ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. black pepper
100 g. dried cranberries, soaked for two hours in warm water, or 150 g. fresh cranberries
2 ozs. butter

For gravy -
2 tbsps. brandy
150 ml. (¼ pint) red wine
1 oz. butter, softened
1 rounded tablespoon wholemeal flour

METHOD
1. Put chestnut purée into mixing bowl and gradually mix in the sherry and chicken stock. Add the seasoning and the cranberries and mix well.
2. Either
a) Spoon onto boned joint, roll up the joint and tie with string, and place in baking dish, or
b) Put chops or cutlets into baking dish and spread the chestnut mix over the top of each.
3. Dot joint or the chestnut topping with butter
4. Put in preheated oven and cook for 35 mins. per lb. plus 35 mins. over for joint, or 50-60 mins. for chops/cutlets.
5. Remove meat from baking dish and keep warm, and pour off any excess fat from the dish. Put the dish on to a burner (or scrape all the remnants of meat and chestnut mix into a small saucepan), add the brandy and wine and heat through, scraping the dish with a wooden spoon to mix all the meat and chestnut scraps into the liquid. Mix the softened butter and flour together and add to the liquid and stir until sauce thickened.

Serve with roast parsnips and steamed green beans.

Mutton in ale with Butternut Squash Dumplings

Serves: 4; Cooking time: approximately 2 hours
Temperature: Gas Mark 3, 170°C, 325°F

INGREDIENTS
1½ lbs. mutton (leg or shoulder) cut into 1 inch chunks
500 ml. bottle strong ale such as Old Peculier
1½ lbs. butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into 1 inch chunks
1 large onion, peeled and diced
2 large leeks, trimmed, washed and cut into ½ inch slices
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly milled black pepper
2 ozs. butter, softened
2 ozs. wholemeal flour

For Dumplings
4 oz. wholemeal self-raising flour
4 oz. beef suet
½ tsp. salt

METHOD
1. Heat 2 tbsps. olive oil in a flame-proof casserole and sauté the onion for 5 mins. until softened. Add sliced leeks and 1 lb. of the butternut squash chunks and sauté for a few more minutes. Stir in the mutton pieces, season with the salt and pepper, add two-thirds of the bottle of ale and bring to the boil.
2. Cover the casserole with a lid, transfer to the oven and cook for 1½ hrs.
3. Meanwhile, put the remaining ½ lb. butternut squash chunks, a little salt, and the rest of the ale in a saucepan, bring to the boil, and simmer gently until the squash is soft (about 15-20 minutes), then strain off the ale into a bowl and set it aside and mash the squash into a pulp.
4. Make the dumplings by mixing the 4 ozs. S/R flour into the squash pulp, together with the suet and salt, adding enough of the ale left from cooking the squash to make a soft dough. With well-floured hands, form the dough into smallish dumplings.
5. Mix the 2 ozs. softened butter with the 2 ozs. wholemeal flour in a small bowl.
6. Remove the casserole from the oven, place on the hob and add any remains of the ale used to cook the squash. Stir the butter/flour mixture into the casserole to thicken the sauce. Place the dumplings around the top of the casserole and put the casserole back in the oven, uncovered, for the final 30 minutes cooking time.

Serve with boiled potatoes and Brussel sprouts.

Herbed Leg of Mutton

Preparation needs to start the day before the dish is required, to allow 24 hours for marinating.

Serves 5-6. Cooking time approximately 1½ to 2 hours
Temperature: Gas Mark 3, 170°C, 325°F

METHOD
1. Stir together 1 cup wine with the vinegar, oil, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, 2 cloves garlic (crushed), 2 chopped onions, nutmeg, sugar, and salt.
2. Pour over the mutton and leave to marinate for 24 hours, turning the joint occasionally.
3. On day of cooking, make the herb sauce by sautéing the chopped parsley, carrot, celery and remaining onion in butter until soft. Spread over the bottom of a roasting pan.
4. Slice the remaining garlic into slivers, drain the leg of mutton (reserving the marinade) and make little cuts at intervals over it and insert a sliver of garlic into each. Place the mutton on top of the herb sauce and pour over the marinade.
5. Roast for 20-25 minutes per pound, plus 20 minutes.
6. Remove the mutton, stir the herb/marinade mixture into a sauce and thicken if necessary, as in recipe above.

Serve with pumpkin mash [cook pumpkin and potato in the proportion of ¾ pumpkin - ¼ potato (cut into dice) in butter and water with a little salt in the oven for approx. 1½ hours, mash or put through the liquidiser, add salt and pepper to taste] and steamed broccoli

Quebec Lamb (or Mutton)

Serves 5-6. Cooking time approximately 2 hours
Temperature: Gas Mark 3, 170°C, 325°F

METHOD
1. Rub the leg of lamb/mutton with salt, pepper, and rosemary.
2. Make cuts at intervals over the leg of lamb/mutton and insert slices of garlic into the cuts.
3. Grease a roasting pan and place the potatoes and onions in the bottom of the pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper and pour the chicken stock over.
4. Place the lamb/mutton on top and roast for 20-25 minutes per lb. and 20 minutes over.
5. Remove the meat and keep warm, remove the potatoes and onions and keep warm. Mix together the softened butter and flour and stir into the sauce, bringing to the boil. Add more seasoning if necessary.

Serve with the potatoes and onions, and braised cabbage with cherries [Ingredients: 2 oz. butter, 1 red onion, sliced thinly, 1 lb. red cabbage, finely shredded, 1 tbsp. muscovado sugar, 3 tbsps. port, 2 tsps. red wine vinegar, 50 g dried cherries. Method: Melt the butter in a flameproof casserole, add the onion and fry, stirring frequently, for 7-10 minutes until softened. Stir in remaining ingredients plus 2 tbsps. water. Bring to boil, then transfer to oven and cook alongside the leg of mutton for 1½-2 hours]

Mutton Pilaf

Serves 3-4. Cooking time 45 minutes

METHOD
1. Put the rice in a saucepan of boiling water, add half a lemon and some salt and simmer for approx. 45 minutes or until just tender. Drain and remove lemon.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and butter in a frying pan and sautée the onions, garlic and tomatoes until softened.
3. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and heat gently, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper to taste. When thoroughly warmed through, stir in the rice and serve with the yoghurt or crème fraiche.

Hungarian Lamb Chops

Serves 3-6. Cooking time 1 hour
Temperature Gas Mk 4, 180°C, 350° F

METHOD
1. Brown chops on both sides in a skillet, then place them in a shallow casserole dish.
2. Season with salt, pepper, and paprika, spread with sliced onions and pour over the sour cream.
3. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Turn the chops, sprinkle with the cheese, and bake a further 30 minutes.

Serve with carrot and parsnip purée [Peel equal amounts of carrot and parsnip, cut into small pieces, season with sea salt, cover with water, bring to the boil and simmer until tender. Drain, mash with a potato masher or put through a liquidiser, season to taste with salt and pepper, add a tablespoonful of butter and a dash of ground nutmeg and mix well in.] and Brussel sprouts

Country Casserole

Serves 4-5. Cooking time 2 hours.
Temperature Gas Mk 4, 180°C, 350°F.

METHOD

1. Put the mutton pieces and leeks in a large, flameproof casserole. Add the wine and stock, and bring to the boil.
2. Mix 1 oz. softened butter with the flour and stir into the sauce to thicken it.
3. Stir in the apricots, tomato purée, and chopped mint, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Arrange the potato slices on top and dot with the rest of the butter.
5. Cover the casserole with lid or foil and bake for 1½ hours.
6. Remove lid or foil and bake for a further 30 mins. to brown the potato topping.

Serve with green beans

METHOD
1. Mix together 1 oz. flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg and roll mutton pieces in it.
2. Put the mutton, plus any remaining flour mix, into a large casserole and mix with pumpkin, onion, and raisins.
3. Pour over the stock, stir, cover, and place casserole in oven.
4. Bake for 1 hour.
5. Soften the 1 oz. butter and mix in the remaining 1 oz. flour.
6. Make topping by mixing flour, ground hazelnuts, salt, and nutmeg together in a bowl. Rub in the butter, mix in the beaten egg and then add enough milk to make a soft dough. Knead, then roll out to 1 cm(½ inch) thick and cut into rounds with a 5 cm(2 inch) pastry cutter.
7. Remove the casserole from the oven, and increase the temperature to
Gas Mk.6/200° C/400° F. Stir the butter/flour mixture into the casserole to thicken the sauce.
8. Arrange the dough rounds around the edge of the casserole. Brush with the remaining milk. Bake, uncovered, for 10-12 minutes.

Serve with potato mash [to add some zing to the mash, put a Bouquet garni in the pot when putting the potatoes on to boil. When cooked, drain the potatoes (discarding the Bouquet garni), mash, add butter and a little double cream, salt and pepper] and spinach.

More mutton recipes can be found on the Mutton Renaissance website at http://www.muttonrenaissance.org.uk/content/MUTTONANDTURNIPPIE.php

http://www.beefyandlamby.co.uk/ For hundreds of recipes for beef and lamb. Recipes, nutrition, cooking tips, meat cuts and carving tips.

http://www.grubstreet.co.uk/ The website of Grub Street Publishers, quality publishers on food and wine.

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Material Copyright © 2002 The Southdown Sheep Society