Now that, Dear Readers, is our idea of perfection.
Roast Lamb, or Kid if you have access to this, are versatile and both are delicious eaten hot or cold.
She grows a lot of Oregano and Marjoram, one particularly beautiful plant is Oregano Aureum, which grows very close to the ground, the leaves are golden. She allows this lovely thing to spread as both the smell and taste are quite spectacular.
She would, if she could, grow Lemons as well but the climate has not changed that much! However, people think that it has, for they buy and subject poor Olive trees to a life of utter misery as they are planted in miserably small tubs or 'Versailles' boxes and expected to be grow and be 'happy'.
Poor trees, they must undoubtedly dream of clear sunlight, sunshine, warm happy days and being able to grow long branches with deep roots and think that their present lives are an awful dream from which they will soon awaken.
So she cannot pick her own Lemons, however, she can pick her own Bitter Oranges.
Four years ago she 'rescued' three very sad looking little Citrus trees from Lidl, they were for sale at £1.50 each because they had no fruit and no label and no one knew what they were but she had an idea when she squished a leaf. It gave off a fragrance she thought denoted Bitter Orange.
'Calamondin' she thought to herself, paid £4.50 and brought them home, they were re-potted, fed, watered and are dearly loved.
That winter they rewarded her kindness by putting out a couple of pure white blossom. She had been right, for the smell was of 'Neroli', an essential oil which comes from the flower of the Bitter Orange.
This oil is an extremely expensive ingredient which, along with many others, makes some of the world's most famous perfumes.
They live on a ledge outside the bathroom. As the winter of 2012 / 2013 started to get cold, she drained the pots, wrapped the trees in sheets of coir and put a layer of fleece over their heads.
They lived happily in their little coir house until late March 2013 which was when she unwrapped them.
They grew like crazy folk last year and were given a severe pruning to stop them becoming 'leggy', they paid attention and are now becoming bushy. They flower twelve months a year and the fruits are so.. dare I say it.. deliciously Orangey!
The sight of these three trees with their small fruits in brilliant orange and the highly coloured Easter eggs that she blew and decorated is just like "a pretty shop window", a charming compliment one of her neighbours paid to her this morning.
But back to Lamb (or Kid) Oregano and Lemons. All of which go very well together. Please put that Rosemary back in the cupboard and try this truly wonderful herb instead!
You will need a leg of lamb (or kid) olive oil, 2cloves of garlic, 2 lemons, black pepper and, hopefully, some locally grown fresh vegetables.
Mix the juice of 2 lemons with 2 fat cloves of crushed and finely chopped garlic, freshly ground black pepper and 2 tsp of dried oregano.
Make sure the meat is out of the chilly white larder (fridge) for at least two hours before you start to cook it. Preheat the oven to 200C / gas mark 5.
Place the lamb into a roasting dish, make small slices all over the meat and rub the oregano mix all over the meat and into the slits. Allow the meat to marinate for at least half an hour.
Roast the meat for 40 minutes, turn the heat down a bit and roast for another 40 minutes and allow the meat to 'relax' for ten minutes before carving.
Serve with, preferably, locally grown green vegetables. We will be eating ours with sprouting broccoli and swiss chard with a garlic mayonnaise and some small potatoes that she dug up last week.
No, they are not 'new' potatoes but very norty ones that escaped being captured (aka dug up) last year!
There you are Dear Readers, the perfect Easter Sunday, or a perfect lunch for whichever day you choose and we have given it to you with enough time for you to get the lamb from your butcher.
Slurp..
GeeGee Parrot.
April 18th, 2014.
Roast Lamb, or Kid if you have access to this, are versatile and both are delicious eaten hot or cold.
She grows a lot of Oregano and Marjoram, one particularly beautiful plant is Oregano Aureum, which grows very close to the ground, the leaves are golden. She allows this lovely thing to spread as both the smell and taste are quite spectacular.
She would, if she could, grow Lemons as well but the climate has not changed that much! However, people think that it has, for they buy and subject poor Olive trees to a life of utter misery as they are planted in miserably small tubs or 'Versailles' boxes and expected to be grow and be 'happy'.
Poor trees, they must undoubtedly dream of clear sunlight, sunshine, warm happy days and being able to grow long branches with deep roots and think that their present lives are an awful dream from which they will soon awaken.
So she cannot pick her own Lemons, however, she can pick her own Bitter Oranges.
Four years ago she 'rescued' three very sad looking little Citrus trees from Lidl, they were for sale at £1.50 each because they had no fruit and no label and no one knew what they were but she had an idea when she squished a leaf. It gave off a fragrance she thought denoted Bitter Orange.
'Calamondin' she thought to herself, paid £4.50 and brought them home, they were re-potted, fed, watered and are dearly loved.
That winter they rewarded her kindness by putting out a couple of pure white blossom. She had been right, for the smell was of 'Neroli', an essential oil which comes from the flower of the Bitter Orange.
This oil is an extremely expensive ingredient which, along with many others, makes some of the world's most famous perfumes.
They live on a ledge outside the bathroom. As the winter of 2012 / 2013 started to get cold, she drained the pots, wrapped the trees in sheets of coir and put a layer of fleece over their heads.
They lived happily in their little coir house until late March 2013 which was when she unwrapped them.
They grew like crazy folk last year and were given a severe pruning to stop them becoming 'leggy', they paid attention and are now becoming bushy. They flower twelve months a year and the fruits are so.. dare I say it.. deliciously Orangey!
The sight of these three trees with their small fruits in brilliant orange and the highly coloured Easter eggs that she blew and decorated is just like "a pretty shop window", a charming compliment one of her neighbours paid to her this morning.
But back to Lamb (or Kid) Oregano and Lemons. All of which go very well together. Please put that Rosemary back in the cupboard and try this truly wonderful herb instead!
You will need a leg of lamb (or kid) olive oil, 2cloves of garlic, 2 lemons, black pepper and, hopefully, some locally grown fresh vegetables.
Mix the juice of 2 lemons with 2 fat cloves of crushed and finely chopped garlic, freshly ground black pepper and 2 tsp of dried oregano.
Make sure the meat is out of the chilly white larder (fridge) for at least two hours before you start to cook it. Preheat the oven to 200C / gas mark 5.
Place the lamb into a roasting dish, make small slices all over the meat and rub the oregano mix all over the meat and into the slits. Allow the meat to marinate for at least half an hour.
Roast the meat for 40 minutes, turn the heat down a bit and roast for another 40 minutes and allow the meat to 'relax' for ten minutes before carving.
Serve with, preferably, locally grown green vegetables. We will be eating ours with sprouting broccoli and swiss chard with a garlic mayonnaise and some small potatoes that she dug up last week.
No, they are not 'new' potatoes but very norty ones that escaped being captured (aka dug up) last year!
There you are Dear Readers, the perfect Easter Sunday, or a perfect lunch for whichever day you choose and we have given it to you with enough time for you to get the lamb from your butcher.
Slurp..
GeeGee Parrot.
April 18th, 2014.
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