Sunday Roast

My favorite family memories are of Sunday Roast at my grandparents house after church. The entire family would gather at their house, and by entire family, I mean various aunts, uncles, cousins, and any strays that would happen to come along. The menu was always the same -- a sizzling slow cooked roast, with perfect gravy made from the drippings. On the side were the creamiest mashed potatoes that ever were made, green beans sauteed with bacon, and ambrosia salad -- a 'fruit' salad that was heavier on the marshmallows, maraschino cherries, and coconut than actual fruit. My brother loved it so much that he always tried to eat only the ambrosia instead of the rest of the meal!
After lunch, we kids would run through the woods like wild banshees exploring dry creek beds, playing hide and seek, and generally scaring the daylights out of my grandfather's cows. Sometimes the uncles would bring out their guitars and sit around the table singing the Beach Boys in perfect harmony. It was as a family should be...big, loud, boisterous, at times confrontational, but always happy.
Somewhere along the way, we stopped gathering at my grandparents for roast on Sunday. Probably had something to do with being a teenager and having much more important things to do with a Sunday afternoon. It wasn't until I moved to London and learned about that great English cultural icon, Sunday Roast, that I remembered how 'warm' a family roast can be.
Sunday Roast is a long held tradition here, so deeply rooted in the culture, that passing a Sunday away in the Pub is just natural, and is more about the food than the ale.
A native Texan, and a butcher's daughter, meat (and specifically beef) has played a very big role in my life. I can spot a bad steak on sight, much less taste. Britian has many charms, but her beef is not one of them. It's tough, grainy, far too lean, and generally flavorless. I had resigned myself to foregoing red meat altogether...and then I discovered lamb.
Lamb in Texas is only ok. It has a over-powering gamey flavor that I just have never cared for. Lamb in Great Britain is simply fantastic. It's everything beef is in Texas. It's fresh, rich, tender, and absolutely delicious. We've had quite a few cold rainy Sundays, and I've started experimenting with Lamb.
I prefer the bone in leg roast, as the bone gives so much more flavor to the meat. I start by crushing about 6 -8 heads of garlic, and stuffing the bits into the roast. As it's relatively lean, I do cover it in a small amount of olive oil. I then salt and pepper, and cover it with fresh sprigs of rosemary. All of this I place into a dutch oven, fatty side up (as it cooks, the fat seeps through the meat, adding even more flavor.) I then pour a bit more olive oil into the bottom of the pot, and place some more rosemary sprigs under the roast. Cover with a lid, and cook at very low heat (150 degrees celsisus or 300 Farenheit) for about 3 hours, or until the roast is pink in the middle. Let it rest for 5 - 10 minutes before slicing.
For a really tasty side, you can add some cubed root vegetables (potatoes, parsnips, carrots, or even butternut squash) for the last hour of cooking. They all absorb the rosemary and garlic, and are delicious.
We've come to look forward to our Sunday roasts, and they've become a staple in our house. I love that I'm simultaneously reviving an old family tradition, embracing a tradition of my new home's culture, and starting our own family tradition all in just one simple, hearty meal.