Miles Collins

A French Brasserie Classic…

Having resigned myself to a day indoors yesterday I decided to have my main meal at lunchtime and because of the heavy snowfall (for England, anyway) I wanted something comforting.

It’s not often that I can be bothered with cooking a big meal for myself. Living alone makes it impractical most of the time and because of work commitments difficult to use up the leftovers.

So with this in mind I opted for another one dish classic from the repertoire; roast lamb with braised potatoes. Simple, easy to make and delicious. Lamb, potatoes, rosemary-job done.

Boulangere is one of the first potato dishes I ever learnt to make as a commis entremetier. I used to make large trays of it which we left to set before cutting out into the desired shape and size. Thinking back I am sure it was a test of my understanding of food, making something which wasn’t technically difficult but with care could be made into something quite delicious.

In my refrigerator sat a bowl of stock leftover from some oxtails I had braised the previous day; thick, gelatinous and full of bits of onion and oxtail scraps-perfect. Three potatoes were peeled and sliced into half centimetre discs. A layer went into the bottom of a baking dish followed by a turn of salt and pepper and a layer of thinly sliced onion. Some fresh rosemary went on next followed by a coating of the stock. Three layers of potato, onion and stock later with the last slices having been brushed with butter and it was into a hot oven for about fifty minutes.

When the potatoes felt almost done I pan-fried a rump of lamb coated in olive oil and herbs de provence until nicely browned, this was then sat on top of the potatoes and left to cook for twelve minutes. As the lamb cooked the meat juices fell onto the potatoes, the rosemary perfumed the lamb and the stock made my gravy.

The oven was turned off, the lamb left to rest before being sliced and served alongside a scoop (or two) of the potatoes. Easy, satisfying and, more importantly hardly any washing up to do afterwards!