Rolled Lamb Hot Pot for this Cold Winter

Winter seems early this year in Melbourne.  We hardly had any Summer.  Seems to me the weather went from Spring straight to Winter.  This recipe came to me last Spring.  It was a cold and wet week as I remember it just like this week or could be any week this past 6 months.  Anyway I only remember that this dish is really a joy to eat - just what we need for gloomy days any time.  Ultimately it is easy to prepare and spend more time snugging up under the duvet with a good book in front of the fireplace.  Enjoy!!!

1½ kg rolled lamb

1 sprig rosemary – stem removed

Handful parsley (chopped)

1tsp dried basil leaves

1tsp multigrain mustard

1 medium sweet potato

1 small white radish

1 small turnip

2 large potatoes

2 cloves garlic – bruised  

Oil

½ of a lemon

¾ bottle red wine

Soy sauce or salt

Method:

1. Washed, peeled and cut root vegetables into big chucks.
2. Using a leak proof plastic bag place lamb, root vegetables, herb and aromatics, and pour in ½ cup of oil, then squeeze the lemon and place the lemon in the bag.  Secure bag then roll the bag with your hand to rub in all ingredients together.
3. Place bag on a dish and refrigerate at least 4 hours.  Better if overnight.
4. Preheat oven 180 degree C.  Removes the bag contents into a lidded cast iron pot.  Pour in the red wine, secure lid and place in the preheated oven.  Immediate turn the heat down to 100 degree C and let it cook for 3.5-4 hours.
5. Add soy sauce or salt to taste.

Note: Use of Crockpot is also recommended.

This is an excellent dish to warm the body, nourish and build blood.

Functions and Benefits:

1. Lamb – warming; Tonifies Qi and Blood; tones Yang; Benefits Essence.
2. Rosemary – warming; benefits and moves Qi; disperse Blood stasis.
3. Potato – Tonifies Qi and Blood; tones Middle Burner.
4. Turnip – tones, regulates and benefits Qi; tones Blood; remove Blood stasis; clears Heat; dries Damp; warming; counteracts toxins.
5. White radish – Regulates and tones Qi; tones blood; transform sputum heat; counteracts toxins.
6. Red wine – tones Qi and Blood.

Precautions and Contraindications:

1. In cases of excess Heat, severe Yin deficiencies and Excess Damp-Heat manifest as febrile diseases, strong thirst for cold water, fever, cough with thick yellow sputum, or hot diarrhoea must avoid.
2. Very poor digestion and feeling cold in the abdomen only eat the root vegetables.  Lamb meat is tougher to be digested.
3. White radish and turnip is cold-cool in nature.  In this recipe, both acts as moderator to the hot-warm nature of this dish as a whole; and also act as digestant.

If you have any doubt or want to know more about this recipe, contact your TCM practitioner or myself.

Thank you for reading.

Kenny Law

Australia Registered TCM Practitioner.

DISCLAIMER:

Information given are purely for references and it is not intent to diagnose medical conditions or to be used for self-diagnosed. Always consult medical health personnel for proper medical diagnosis.

© COPYRIGHT 2010 KENNY LAW

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