For week #9 of the 2011-2012 Dark Days Eat Local Challenge, I made a crown roast of lamb to practice for Easter. As I’ve mentioned, we take turns with holidays and Easter is Mom’s (the vegetarian). If I can pull this off, we’re having this for Easter. If I can’t, we’re going with the old stand-by.
So, here I am, practicing for Easter. I made some roasted root vegetables to go with it, though I doubt I’ll be able to get those in the first week of April.
I followed a combination of directions from Steve (best butcher) and some online sources. I rubbed my herb and oil mix all over the 4-lb roast and set the roast, bones down, in about 1/2″ water in a roasting dish. I roasted it at 400°F for seven minutes then lowered the heat to 350° for 23 minutes. I flipped the roast onto a rack in the dish and let it go at 350° for another 10 minutes. As you can see, it’s medium rare.
Since I’m the only medium rare in a family of well dones, I’m going to need to let it go a bit longer on the big day.
Sources:
- crown lamb, prepared by Steve at Butcher’s Best Market (lamb from Cabbage Hill Farm in Mount Kisco, NY). It came with cute little booties to put over the bones, but I thought that might be over-doing it.
- garlic, thyme, oregano, and rosemary from here
- sweet potato and onions from Sport Hill Farm
- parsnips from manheim Farm, Whately, MA (via Holbrook Farm)
- red wine: Woodridge Red from Miranda Vineyard (paired perfectly!)
- olive oil, salt, pepper: not local
This was a surprisingly simple meal. Any ideas for accompaniments that will be available in the spring? Otherwise it’s going to be lamb and ramps.
on Jan 29th, 2012 at 12:02 pm
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on Jan 29th, 2012 at 9:31 pm
I had no idea lamb had a crown roast! I’ve only seen beef crown roasts (I think – were they pork??).
Anyway, I’m posting tomorrow on a leg of lamb I did for Dark Days. I adore lamb.
I always like some kind of potatoes with roasted meat. You should be able to get local potatoes yet by Easter, right? And what about watercress? A zesty little watercress salad – if you’ve got a farmer who’s got a spring with watercress.
on Jan 31st, 2012 at 9:31 pm
Hi Margo. I’d like to have potatoes, but there won’t be local ones by Easter. the potatoes in my pantry now are wanting to grow. Usually, I plant the “survivors” in the garden in March. But as early as February, they’re not fabulous for eating. I might be able to get some from a local farmer who has much better storage facilities than I do. I believe I’ll be able to get greens since Holbrook’s has the hoop houses and greenhouses going. I’ve been getting really nice greens for several weeks now. If I can pry them away from the farmer, I might even be able to get carrots. I think I may have to make something from grains or else pull something from the freezer.
on Feb 19th, 2012 at 5:30 pm
The roast looks wonderful. Do you have anyone that has any winter squash left? That would be nice. I’ve still got some sweet potatoes and onions left, but my potatoes are all gone.
I know the weather is colder there, but has anyone planted the early peas in their hoop houses? I’ll be planted some in the next week my greenhouse.