What! seven hours to cook a leg of mutton! exclaims John Bull; shade of the third George protect us, why ‘tis nonsense; to which I must answer you are right, it would rob it of its flavour; but still it gains another flavour which is far from being bad; and you must observe that, although there will be less nourishment it will be much easier of digestion. Well, well, methinks I hear him say, if you are determined upon publishing that destructive receipt (which absurdity I am sure no one upon this soil will ever follow, or disgrace their tables with), write it in French and offend no one; but for heaven’s sake never invite me to dine with you on the day you find room for such a dish upon your table, so taking the hint I give it in my native tongue:—Désosse un assez gros gigot de mouton jusqu’à la moitié du manche; vous assaisonnerez des lardons de sel, de gros poivre, de thyme et de laurier pilés, et vous piquerez le dedans de votre gigot; ne faites pas sortir vos lardons par-dessous. Quand il est bien piqué, vous lui ferez prendre sa forme première; vous le ficellerez de manière qu’on ne s’aperçoive pas qu’on l’ait désossé; vous mettrez ensuite des bardes de lard au fond de votre braisière, quelques tranches de jambon, les os concassés, quelques tranches de mouton, quatre carottes, six oignons, trois feuilles de laurier, un peu de thyme, trois clous de girofle, un bouquet de persil et de ciboule, deux cuillerées à pot de bouillon: vous mettrez à cuire votre gigot pendant sept heures, et le ferez aller à très petit feu; vous en mettrez aussi sur le couvercle de la braisière. Au moment de servir vous l’égoutterez, vous le déficellerez, le glacerez, et le servirez avec le mouillement réduit dans lequel il aura cuit; ayant soin de bien-écumer toute la graisse que votre fond est susceptible d’avoir.
No. 482. Necks of Mutton à la Légumière.
Cut off the scrags and take the chine bones from two necks of mutton, lard the lean parts with lardons of fat bacon about three inches long, roast them in vegetables as for fillet of beef (No. 417); when done, dress them on a dish, placing fillet to fillet, so as to form a saddle; fill up the crevice between them with mashed potatoes, upon which dress small pieces of cauliflower and small bunches of asparagus, or Brussels sprouts; make a border of mashed potatoes round the mutton, upon which dress some onions, with pieces of carrots and turnips stewed (see stewed rump of beef à la Flamande, No. 428), place four onions at each end of the dish, and stick a fine head of asparagus in each; glaze the mutton, and pour a demi-glace (No. 9) over the vegetables.
No. 483. Necks of Mutton à la Bretonne.
Trim the necks as above, roast them quite plain (see Kitchen at Home), and sauce as for saddle of mutton à la Bretonne, (No. 465.)
No. 484. Neck of Mutton à la Bohémienne.
Proceed as for haunch of mutton (No. 475), only three days in the marinade will be sufficient.
No. 485. Neck of Mutton à la Provençale.
Trim a neck of mutton, lard it, and put it into a convenient sized stewpan, with two onions, one carrot, one turnip (cut in slices), six cloves, a blade of mace, and a bunch of parsley, thyme and bay-leaves; cover with white broth, and set it on the fire; when boiling, set it on the corner to simmer for two hours; take it out, and lay it on a sauté-pan, spread a purée of onions as for cotelettes de mouton à la Provençale (No. 701) over the top, egg and bread-crumb it, put it in the oven a quarter of an hour, salamander a light brown, sauce with demi-glace as for the cotelettes.