Breast of Lamb de Foret Bourlon - a 1930s recipe for an unrated cut of meat

Breast of lamb is a strange joint which is pretty nearly inedible.

Well, if you believe common wisdom, anyway!

It's a bit of the sheep most supermarket's won't sell because there's hardly any meat on it. It is a thin strip about 2 feet long and 6 inches wide and includes a big wedge of fat at the top and the lower part of the ribs back to the belly. The breast of lamb is the giveaway cut of the animal (in some butchers shops literally), yet most British cooks these days have probably never got to grips with one.

It can be delicious, if you cook it right.



This recipe was passed on to me by my grandma, and originally came from a letter to a newspaper - the original recipe contains wonderful moments like "It is very cheap - breast of English Lamb was 8d a pound in Harrods last Saturday - one often finds cheaper cuts of a better class in an upscale butcher than in a so-called cheap one - but beware, this is not a dish for the ten-minute cook."

This is still true, but trust me, it's worth the effort, if only to confound expectations.

Breast of lamb de Foret Bourlon

1 breast of lamb
2 carrots, sliced
2 onions, sliced
a glass of white wine
a glass of water
a sprig of rosemary, or thyme, or both
salt, fresh ground black pepper

to finish:
mustard
one egg, beaten
dried breadcrumbs
100g butter, melted

Dipping Sauce:

Harissa Aioli (Mayonnaise, mixed with Garlic & Harissa paste)

Recipe:

Place the breast of lamb in an oven-proof dish or casserole, cut into two halves if necessary to fit, with the carrots, onions and herbs scattered under and over it and the wine and water poured over. Season well with salt and pepper and cover the dish with foil (or its lid).

Bake in an oven preheated to 140ºC for two and half to three hours, removing the dish to turn and baste the breast two or three times, until the meat is completely tender.

As soon as the meat is cool enough to handle, slip the rib bones out of the meat by tugging gently with your fingers. Retain the bones to scare any young relatives and/or to convince your neighbours you are killing children.

Press the boneless breasts between two chopping boards, or two flat plates, with a weight on top (a few full jam jars or large tomato tins will do). Leave in the fridge for a couple of hours, or overnight.

To finish the dish, slice the cold, pressed breast meat into two-finger width, one-finger length slices. Brush the slices with a little mustard, dip in beaten egg, and press firmly into a bowl of breadcrumbs so they are well coated.

Arrange in a roasting tin, brush each with a little melted butter, and place in the centre of an oven pre-heated to 180º C. After 15 minutes, whack the oven up to maximum heat, to get them very crisp.

Serve on hot plates, to waiting guests, with a piquant sauce to dip them in, such as a harissa aioli (Sounds complex but is really just mayo added to harissa - mess around with it a bit to get it to taste).

To make this a meal, rather than a starter or snack, extend the accompaniments to a creamy mash and a salad.