Ventre d’agneau farci
The horned dorset lambs at Townsend have a very mild flavour of meat which includes the “off” cuts such as the belly or the breast. Use this recipe on a cold winter night and enjoy with a glass of red wine.
Ingredients:
1 whole pasture raised lamb belly
3-4 slices of stale or drier type bread, chopped in small cubes
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 tsp Salt
½ tsp Pepper
¾ tsp crumbled dried sage or 1 ½ tsp fresh sage chopped
1 large egg, beaten
Sprigs fresh rosemary
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
3 Tbsp flour
1-liter homemade lamb broth
Salt
Pepper
Pre-heat oven 300 deg.
Directions:
Stuffing:
In a medium bowl add bread, onion, sage and salt and pepper. Using hands mix well with beaten egg thoroughly but lightly as to not turn it into mush.
Unroll lamb belly and fill cavity with stuffing, fill in all cavities and crevices. Roll up starting with the thin end and with the fat side on the outside. Truss well with butchers twine. Rub olive oil over entire roast and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Using a sharp knife stab a few spots and insert fresh rosemary sprigs into the holes.
Place roast in a roasting pan and roast at a slow temperature for 2 hrs. or until cooked through. The top should be crackly and crisp and the fat rendered out.
Carefully cut roast in slices and arrange on serving platter making sure to keep the stuffing intact. Tent to keep warm while making gravy
Gravy:
Remove most of the lamb fat from roasting pan, leaving approx. 3 Tbsp. Over high heat scrape up the brown bottom bits and heat till hot. Add in the flour and with a whisk, whisk till well blended and golden add broth slowly stirring constantly till a good gravy texture (do not add too much broth). Continue to cook stirring constantly till flour is well cooked, season with salt and pepper and adjust seasonings as desired. Serve along side sliced belly.
Option:
At 1 hr. of cooking add peeled potatoes and carrots to cook along side the roast. Serve with other assorted vegetables.