Author Topic: Substitute for braised whole enive/chicory in a pot roast of lamb shoulder?  (Read 2747 times)

slope

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In today's Observer there's a delicious sound recipe for Pot-roast shoulder of lamb with endives

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2019/apr/14/simon-hopkinson-easter-feast-roast-lamb-pistachio-tarts

Chicory/endives aren't to be found within cycling distance <25 miles of this remote abode up a dead end stony track in the mountains of Snowdonia.

What alternative vegetables do you suggest? Doesn't have to be similarly bitter in taste to endive, just something that will cook down to an equally delish texture and compliment the lamb?

Chunks of leeks perhaps?

Paul

  • L'enfer, c'est les autos.
Spinach? Fennel?
Leeks sound good.
I suppose the question (before we all start shouting out similarly-unavailable exotica) is: what have you got access to?
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slope

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Spinach? Fennel?
Leeks sound good.
I suppose the question (before we all start shouting out similarly-unavailable exotica) is: what have you got access to?

The most 'exotic' veg one finds locally are turnips, celeriac, pak choi and kallettes occasionally, so most of the usual suspects are available. I did see some fennel in Tesco once - and that would have worked methinks?

Little or sweet gem lettuce perhaps?  Fennel would change the flavour substantially.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Paul

  • L'enfer, c'est les autos.
Small wedges of pale cabbage such as tender sweet, suggests one website:
https://www.cheatsheet.com/life/7-expensive-ingredients-and-their-budget-friendly-swaps.html/
What's so funny about peace, love and understanding?

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Doesn't endive have an aniseed taste you might wish to replicate?

slope

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Thanks folks :)

Tender sweet cabbage sounds like a good bet to try. I suppose I was more interested in trying replicate the chicory's texture as it cooked down in the pot.

Plus, if I buy lots that'll be a good reason to make some kimchi to fill two currently empty 1 litre cheapo Tesco (£2.75 each), Bormioli Rocco 'Fido' jars  :thumbsup:

I'd never considered pot roasting lamb shoulder before. There's a proper butcher's shop (with a striped awning and fake strips of plastic grass adorning the window) in a village where I attend a dentist - Penrhyndeudraeth*, who only butchers and sells local Snowdonia mountain or marsh lamb. I rarely eat meat these days for a myriad reasons, minor part of which is the idea of buying factory farmed plastic shrink wrapped 'stuff' from 'supermarkets' ain't at all compelling!

Doesn't endive have an aniseed taste you might wish to replicate?

It's been years since I ate endive (and most likely raw in a salad down in France with pears, cheese and wine kinda, I don't remember the anise subtlety?

* a village (and hill out of) apparent to the the Bryan Chapman riders?

Paul

  • L'enfer, c'est les autos.
I spent a happy weekend on and around the Llyn peninsula with a friend 30 or so years ago.

Beautiful place, but utterly devoid of endives.
What's so funny about peace, love and understanding?

Small wedges of pale cabbage such as tender sweet, suggests one website:
https://www.cheatsheet.com/life/7-expensive-ingredients-and-their-budget-friendly-swaps.html/

Could use Hispi cabbage too.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

slope

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I spent a happy weekend on and around the Llyn peninsula with a friend 30 or so years ago.

Beautiful place, but utterly devoid of endives.

One of the very very minor prices to pay for living her yn baradwys :D

slope

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Could use Hispi cabbage too.

I'd have to Google that - so unlikely to be available locally?

DUH! It's readily available here as sweet heart cabbage - which I think might work and is worth buying half a shoulder of Welsh mountain lamb to try  :)

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
I'd be inclined to try the lettuce, it has the same slight bitterness as endives. But if I were allowed to eat lamb I'd do Elizabeth David's recipe with  lemon juice and lavender.
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slope

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I'd be inclined to try the lettuce, it has the same slight bitterness as endives. But if I were allowed to eat lamb I'd do Elizabeth David's recipe with  lemon juice and lavender.

Maybe I could use sweetheart at one end of the oval pot and little gem at the other?

Ooh! Do you have a link to ED's recipe? Sound interesting. Rosemary is my usual go to herb with the lamb slitted 12mm deep all over and slivers of garlic and lemon peel pushed in.

Doesn't endive have an aniseed taste you might wish to replicate?

No, Endive / Chicory is a bitter salad leaf, a bit like radicchio - which could also be used I guess.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Doesn't endive have an aniseed taste you might wish to replicate?

No, Endive / Chicory is a bitter salad leaf, a bit like radicchio - which could also be used I guess.


Sorry! For some reason I was thinking of fennel...

Mr Larrington

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I know little of endives save that they were a favourite of Roger's1 Wah-Wah rabbits.

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