Boiled Gigot Of Lamb Or Mutton

Photo: flickr user avlxyz

Ingredients

1 pound x Leg lamb or mutton, 4 - 5

2 lrg Onions

2 Carrots

1 sprg rosemary

1 sprg parsley

1 sprg thyme

1 Bay leaf

6 Black peppercorns

Milk to cover

Salt to taste

2 tablespoons Flour

2 tablespoons Butter

3 tablespoons Capers and caper juice

1 1/2 pints Warm milk stock from

Lamb, fat skimmed off

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Remove all surplus fat from the meat.

Place in a deep saucepan, fill pan to 3/4s full with milk.

Add sliced onions, carrots, herbs; season to taste.

Cover, bring gently to a boil.

Simmer very gently, 2 - 3 hours or until meat is tender.

Take out meat, keep hot.

Skim fat from milk; strain off 3 cups for sauce.

Sauce: Melt butter in a pan, stir in flour, cook 1 minute.

Add 3 cups warm milk stock.

Stir constantly to prevent lumps.

Add capers and juice (1 tbsp).

Stir again until well-mixed and creamy.

NOTES : 'Gigot' is the French word for a leg of mutton and was adopted by the Scots during the days of the 'Auld (old) Alliance' with France. As part of the treaty all Scots became French citizens and all French people became citizens of Scotland. This concession was repealed at the beginning of the 20th century. This dish is traditionally cooked by boiling lamb or mutton with carrots and turnips but the variation given here is delicious, especially for older meat.