For ➍600 g leg of lamb, without bone*
olive oil
½ bulb of garlic, crushed
1 sprig of thyme
1 sprig of rosemary
20 spring onions**
200 g sea spinach
a handful of fresh mint
100 g butter
pepper***
Preheat oven to 200°C.
Heat the olive oil and brown the meat. Add pepper, thyme, rosemary, crushed garlic and wrap in aluminum foil. Put in the oven for 40 m for rose meat (or slightly more for well-done). When the meat is ready, let it rest for 10 m on a plate.
Meanwhile, cut the spring onions in length. Melt 50 g butter and sauté the spring onions and the sea-spinach**** for 4 m.
Chop mint. Melt 50 g butter and add mint for 1 m.
Remove foil from meat, remove thyme, rosemary and garlic. Cut into slices.
Put on a plate with sea spinach. Spread a little mint butter on the meat.Serve with boiled spring potatoes.
Heat the olive oil and brown the meat. Add pepper, thyme, rosemary, crushed garlic and wrap in aluminum foil. Put in the oven for 40 m for rose meat (or slightly more for well-done). When the meat is ready, let it rest for 10 m on a plate.
Meanwhile, cut the spring onions in length. Melt 50 g butter and sauté the spring onions and the sea-spinach**** for 4 m.
Chop mint. Melt 50 g butter and add mint for 1 m.
Remove foil from meat, remove thyme, rosemary and garlic. Cut into slices.
Put on a plate with sea spinach. Spread a little mint butter on the meat.Serve with boiled spring potatoes.
*Or use 12 rib chops. Add pepper, thyme, rosemary, crushed garlic to some oil. Cover the meat and let rest in foil for 30 m.Bake in oil or butter for 4 m a side.
*Instead, use 4 large slices of leg of lamb. Add pepper, thyme, rosemary, crushed garlic to some oil. Cover the meat and let rest in foil for 30 m. Bake in oil or butter for 3 m a side.
**Use shallots instead. Or mix of white onion and chives.
***Do not use salt as the sea spinach is naturally salted.
****Wash as quickly as possible in a colander under cold running water. When the sea spinach is washed in too much water, some of the salty taste is lost.
Sea spinach, also called sea beet, is similar to normal spinach but a bit bitter and more salty. This is the ancestor of the garden beetroot and is also related to spinach. It was first cultivated about 2000 years ago in the Middle East as a vegetable.
It can be found near the sea side on shingle beaches and cliffs as well as other coastal habitats. Due to the salty taste, it is an excellent companion to meaty fish, but can be served as a delicacy on it's own.
In Holland's Zeeland province, (where it's called 'lamsoor' ('lamb's ear'), it is served with lamb as above.
On the Belgium coast, in the Zwin reserve, it's called 'Zwinneblomme' ('flower of the Zwin', and in France its purple flowers made it 'lavande de mer' ('sea lavender').
Read more sea vegetables recipes.
