Sunday roast cook off

kittykat100

I was going to do Beef, but I was in Tescos at midnight last night and picked up 2 half leg of lambs at half price. (MS lol)
So..... I am now doing :

Roast Leg of Lamb
Roast and Mashed Potatoes
Mashed Swede
Cabbage
Carrots
Parsnips
Sprouts

Mint Sauce

I would like however a recipie for White Onion Sauce.........if anyone has one.

I haven't decided on a pud yet though..
Kick off at 11am is cool with me.....

Digital camera at the ready

scottishspendaholic

scottishspendaholic - planning roast beef. Would like to do roasties, yorkies, pureed parsnip and other veggies and gravy.

Hello peeps,

Sorry I haven't posted for a couple of days - but I am really looking forward to this weekend and doing my first cook-off. have been through this thread and taken out the tips and recipes so hopefully I'm going to get there.

Regarding the starting time, I am happy to start at 11am - however I am waiting to find out about some free cinema tickets (film would start at 10am) but this is just a possibility. If I did get the tickets, I would just start when I got home (approx 12.30pm).

Okay, ready - here come the QUESTIONS!

- Do I need to get a roasting pan with a rack in order to collect the juices for the gravy? I only have a battered old roasting tin at the moment

- If I can't afford a rib of beef (not looking likely) - is there a cheaper alternative that doesn't just get casseroled - one that can be roasted? I'm thinking of the round joints you get (but I've no idea what they are called)?

- Do I need to prepare the meat at all - do I rub with herbs, put some butter on, season etc (all which I have done previously with chicken)?

- I have a butcher in my village - should I go in and order my joint or will they likely have an abundance?

- As suggested by JM, should I serve a sauce with this meat etc - if so, which sauce and how do I make it?

- Do people just par boil tatties, drizzle in olive oil and stick in the oven (like me) to make roasties - is there a better (more crispier) way?

- Silly question alert! How do I puree parsnips?

- Once I give sizes etc, can someone help me with timings please?

I'm planning to post a basic plan of attack on Friday/Saturday - so I'd really appreciate some help. You wouldn't believe I've roasted a chicken successfully before!

Thanks so much everyone!

scottishspendaholic x

scottishspendaholic

scottishspendaholic's shopping list - comments and (cheap) additions welcome!

*Joint of beef (from butcher) - awaiting clarification/help on cheaper cut
*Maris Piper/IME Desiree, parsnips, other veg to roast/boil (see what looks nice) from farm shop
*Lard/dripping from farm shop/supermarket
*Maybe a roasting rack thing...

I've got eggs, red wine, oil, flour, milk, vinegar, seasoning, herbs etc..

scottishspendaholic x

jobbingmusician

scottishspendaholic wrote:

- Do I need to get a roasting pan with a rack in order to collect the juices for the gravy? I only have a battered old roasting tin at the moment

It's ideal to have a rack (have you got a grill pan? They usually have one in and if the pan fits into the oven, you are sorted). However, it's only to stop the meat sitting in its own juices. You can manage without. Or I did have a brilliant idea (not road tested) that you could put an oven-proof plate under the joint upside down so the juices would run off. Anyone else tried this? It's probably not worth buying a special pan unless you are going to do regular roasts. The best sort, IMHO, are like this
. with a lid and a rack!

scottishspendaholic wrote:

- If I can't afford a rib of beef (not looking likely) - is there a cheaper alternative that doesn't just get casseroled - one that can be roasted? I'm thinking of the round joints you get (but I've no idea what they are called)?

I buy 'the round sort' all the time (reduced ) and they are delicious. Not as 'special' as Pen Pen's suggestion, but great for a Sunday roast.

scottishspendaholic wrote:

- Do I need to prepare the meat at all - do I rub with herbs, put some butter on, season etc (all which I have done previously with chicken)?

Depends what you want it to taste like! I was thinking of giving special hints to anyone preparing lamb, suggesting slivers of garlic, rosemary or both. People doing chicken - do you want special recipes for things like lemon chicken, garlic chicken etc? (WARNING - none of my recipes will ever mention soy sauce. I am assured this is delicious with chicken, but I am strongly allergic to it...:mad: ) I usually prepare my beef plain and simple, and then serve with a selection of sauces. What do other people think?

scottishspendaholic wrote:

- I have a butcher in my village - should I go in and order my joint or will they likely have an abundance?

If I were you I would go and talk to the butcher at a time when he's not too busy. If you tell him about this thread I bet he'll be tickled pink! - and he'd probably recommend an ideal joint for the purpose. (And if he thinks he might be mentioned in the thread remember MBE's pie was viewed over 6000 times I think you'll probably end up with a slice of nectar...:whistle:

scottishspendaholic wrote:

- As suggested by JM, should I serve a sauce with this meat etc - if so, which sauce and how do I make it?

My favourite with beef is horseradish cream (less strong than plain horseradish). I have NEVER made this from scratch (any recipes gratefully considered) but it costs less than £1 from Sainsbury's for a jar which lasts for years!

scottishspendaholic wrote:

- Do people just par boil tatties, drizzle in olive oil and stick in the oven (like me) to make roasties - is there a better (more crispier) way?

There is a lazier way, which is just to stick them in the oven without parboiling (they are still good!), but I agree parboiling is the way to go.

scottishspendaholic wrote:

- Silly question alert! How do I puree parsnips?

Not a silly question - no such thing! Why do you want to puree them? If the answer is that you are aiming for parsnip mash, you cook them and then puree them, like mashed potatoes. Add milk, butter and pepper to taste. If there's another reason, post back and we'll put our heads together. HAve you considered roast parsnips as well?

scottishspendaholic wrote:

- Once I give sizes etc, can someone help me with timings please?

Yes, 'the team' (that means me, Pen Pen, and anyone else who wants to put in their tuppenceworth) are here to help! :beer:

scottishspendaholic

Hey JM,

You are a superstar!

My brain must be fried though 'cos I spent ages looking at your reply - going hmmm grill pan - do I have one? For some reason, all I could think of were frying pans! Yes, I have a grill (silly me) and my oven/grill are combined so it definitely fits! Saving money there - thank you!

Round sort of meat it is then! I can't get to the butcher until Saturday (commute to work and leave 7am, back 6pm) so will have to hope that he has some in if I go in early on Saturday - its on the street in my village so no excuse, really!

I'm not a massive fan of horseradish as I've been burnt before with this one! So plain and simple it is! The reason I fancied pureed parsnips was that someone earlier in this thread had mentioned them as part of their roast dinner and they sounded yummy! For some reason, I also fancy red cabbage with this meal - would this go and is it in season just now?

Thanks for helping me with times nearer the time! Can someone also let me know if my shopping list is missing a vital ingredient!?

Thanks so much everyone

scottishspendaholic x

jobbingmusician

Red cabbage would be YUMMY!!! Do you want to do it with raisins and stuff, or just plainish?

Addition to SS shopping list

If you haven't got a grill with a lid, you will need some SILVER FOIL.

jobbingmusician

hazzie123 wrote:

( I work from 4.45am till 1pm on a sunday so it`ll have to be put in oven before I leave for work)
Yorkshire puddings,roast potatoes,cabbage,swede and garden peas. YUM!

:eek: :eek: :eek: What do you do, hazzie, if it isn't a rude question?

kittykat100

JM....

I need to know how to make thick onion sauce.. could you help please????

kittyx

jobbingmusician

Onion sauce is very easy (and uses the same technique that formed the filling for MBE's and Tigs's pies ) This recipe will make enough for 2 VERY generous portions (with probably some left for another day).

Chop 2 medium onions, and 'sweat' them gently in some butter (about 15g) until transparent. Add 15g of flour and stir vigorously. Gradually add half of a pint of milk, stirring all the time. Keep stirring for another couple of minutes, with the sauce just on the boil. If you think it's too thick at this point, add some more milk and keep stirring. Grate in some fresh nutmeg and that's it!

The richer the milk (full fat) the richer the sauce - or you can add calories by adding some cream at the end (once you've added the cream, keep it under boiling point).

Warning - I never usually measure things. So if you want to add more flour, go right ahead! Onion sauce has to be pretty saturated with flour to be 'too thick' and you can always dilute it down.

Btw if anyone thinks I've forgotten anything in any recipes, or have better versions, PLEASE feel free to amend!

kittykat100

Oh thanks JM

You are a star!!!

kittyx