Roasting in hay gives meat a delightful smokiness: this works well with chicken, venison, goat and mutton as well as lamb. Add in some sprigs of fresh herbs for an aromatic taste. Potatoes in any form are very good accompaniment to this slow-cooked dish – in particular mash or celeriac and potato gratin. Make sure you get good quality hay… it should be fine, tinged green and very aromatic. This used to be the traditional method of cooking meat over open fires in cast iron pots, particularly outside where the soaked hay protected the meat from direct contact with the fire, both keeping it moist and not burning whilst adding extra depth of flavour. As a means of cooking, it’s lost its appeal, but is slowly making a comeback through adventurous modern chefs. My husband, however, remembers this method of cooking, particularly at the end of harvest time.
Prep time 20 minutes/Cook time 75 minutes/Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1kg (2 lb) lamb roasting joint
a few handfuls of hay
125g (1/4 lb) butter, softened
few sprigs of rosemary, chopped (use thyme or a mixture of both if you wish)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
Method:
Pre-heat your oven to 190°C (170°C Fan/375°F/Gas Mark 5). Soak the hay in a large bowl of water for about 15 minutes, then drain.
In a bowl mix together the butter, chopped herbs and garlic.
Line a roasting tin large enough to comfortably hold your meat joint with a layer of hay about 5cm thick. Place your lamb on the hay, then smear the lamb all over with the butter mixture. Season well with salt and black pepper. Sit more hay around the sides of the lamb.
Cover the lamb with the remainder of the hay. Then, either cover with a lid if you have one for the tin or make one with a double layer of foil. Seal the foil all around the tin. Make sure there are no loose bits of hay emerging from the tin; it all needs to be contained so it does not smoulder or catch fire when cooking (this way the steam of cooking will protect the hay).
Transfer to your pre-heated oven and roast for 30 minutes per 500g (1 lb) for a medium cooked roast (adjust for slightly pinker lamb if preferred). Remove from the oven and set aside to rest in the hay for 15 minutes.
Take off the lid, remove the lamb, scrape off any errant bits of hay and carve. Strain the the juices from the pan and use to make a very aromatic gravy.
