Rump of lamb – Not a favourite with the name dropping crowd.

There is a tendency in many social circles to ‘name-drop’. I hate it. Only the other day, I was saying this to the Queen of England and she told me that neither she nor Michelle Obama approve of it. Bad enough at dinner parties and gatherings where people hob-knob but this ugly behaviour has now spread to food blogging.

I don’t approve of the practice of putting in gratuitous links throughout posts. These links are often grovelling to preferred suppliers or preening references to those further up the social scale (like David Lebovitz). This type of grovelling disgusts me.

Now that I have that off my chest, I will get down to the business of cooking Rump of Lamb with Seasonal Vegetables and Red Wine Reduction for the Wife, my blogging daughter Lucy and myself.

John Sheridan of the fine John’s Meat Co. suggested that I try it. It is pretty popular in top Irish restaurants, or so I hear. I am sure that both the magnificent Jamie Oliver and the brilliant Nigel Slater would approve. As would awe-inspiring Irish chefs Richard Corrigan and Derry Clarke.

You will need: 

• 3 lamb rumps
• New Season North Dublin potatoes
• Limerick Parsnips
• A bottle of Chateau Petit Gravet 2006
• Rosemary
• Smoked Paprika
• Salt, pepper and some oil.

In preparing this, I did not follow a recipe by wonderful James Martin or by the inspiring Martha Stewart. In fact, I thought of it all on my own.  First I parboiled the potatoes and took a photo of them.

I took all the photos for this post with a Canon fixed 50mm lens. A lot of moving the camera and tripod around.

Then I got my Limerick parsnips (from the Milk Market in that fine city).

Some fine Limerick parsnips. They sell ’em dirty down there.

Once washed, peeled and chopped, I mixed them with olive oil and smoked paprika.

Parsnips and paprika – This has to be the easiest way to add big earthy flavour to a meal.

The potatoes were chopped and tossed in oil, salt, pepper and rosemary. Then they and the parsnips were put into a 200 degree C Neff oven for 20 minutes.

Searing in the pan. I had no time to think of dropping any names as I had to get the meal to come together in short time.

Seared on all sides and into the oven with the lamb. I then took it out and let it rest while I deglazed the pan with the Chateau Petit Gravet 2006.

A fine vintage of a pretty pleasant drop. Not all of it was for the deglazing. Not by a long way.

I felt obliged to name the drop, rather than drop another name. Chateau Petit Gravet 2006 was one of the wines picked up in France a few years ago. Excellent value and a beautiful wine.

A fairly close up of the paprika parsnips. I highly recommend them. Now that I have met them, I am obliged to drop their name: Paprika Parsnips.

The whole dish worked harder than a name dropper at a B list celebrity funeral.

Rump of Lamb does not have the cachet of Rack of Lamb. It probably will not get mentioned at social climbers gatherings.

The cut of meat comes from an area between the leg and the rack. It is pretty inexpensive, beautifully tender and easy to cook. Not being a rack or a fillet, it will not have its name dropped in many butcher shops. Not until it becomes fashionable. I hope I am not helping in that process. I know that paragon of the culinary arts Gordon Ramsey would not approve if I did.