Babcia’s Roast Lamb by chef-j

Sunday Afternoons of my childhood were spent with “Nanna” who would prepare her delectable Soups such as her signature ‘Krupnik’ or her to die for Noodles & Sauce, i.e. Babcia’s Baran!

My Babcia had no formal Food training and was self taught Home Cook who mastered the art of balance of flavours and complexity & tenacity that Polish Cooking almost always entails.

The secret of all her recipes was the ‘Pork’ element which explains why her dish of choice when dining out at the Polish Club is Kotlet Schabowy!

Although Zurek was not family staple, I was inspired to teach myself how to cook it from scratch following the same cooking principles that my Babcia has passed down to me.

During the lockdown I have explored Home Cooking ‘Polish Style’ often cooking my Babcia’s food for her, which as she has quoted ‘tastes like Bolesia’s! What a compliment!

My Babcia is proud of me for many of my achievements but to emulate her Michelin Star worthy cooking gives me an enormous sense of Pride and Satisfaction! Smacznego!!!!

Step 1 – ingredients
Protein
½ leg of lamb
Fry off / saute the following ingredients to make sauce base ‘stock’:
Olive oil, 6x rashers of bacon, onion, salt, pepper, bay leaf, polish stock cube, water
Add leg of lamb (seasoned with salt/pepper & poach/simmer in shallow broth for approx 1hr, turning leg of lamb halfway, adding water regularly on low heat

Step 2
Remove leg of lamb, rest for ½ an hr, wrap in foil
Store in fridge overnight
Allow stock base to cool for ½ an hr
Store in fridge overnight

Step 3 – time to make babcia’s gravy!
Scrape any fat off that has settled on top of the stock base. Add boiling water, soy sauce, polish stock cube (beef or mushroom), salt, pepper and bring to the boil (with leg lamb in pot).

Mix in cup 4-5 tbs cornflour & cold water until smooth, add to stock til thickens, add cream