Boiled Leg of Lamb à la Béchamel is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic dish of leg of lamb that's boiled, covered in Bechamel sauce and served with more Bechamel sauce as an accompaniment. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Boiled Leg of Lamb à la Béchamel.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
BOILED LEG OF LAMB A LA BECHAMEL.
751. INGREDIENTS.—Leg of lamb, Béchamel sauce, No. 367.
Mode.—Do not choose a very large joint, but one weighing about 5 lbs. Have ready a saucepan of boiling water, into which plunge the lamb, and when it boils up again, draw it to the side of the fire, and let the water cool a little. Then stew very gently for about 1-1/4 hour, reckoning from the time that the water begins to simmer. Make some Béchamel by recipe No. 367, dish the lamb, pour the sauce over it, and garnish with tufts of boiled cauliflower or carrots. When liked, melted butter may be substituted for the Béchamel: this is a more simple method, but not nearly so nice. Send to table with it some of the sauce in a tureen, and boiled cauliflowers or spinach, with whichever vegetable the dish is garnished.
Time.—1-1/4 hour after the water simmers.
Average cost, 10d. to 1s. per lb. Sufficient for 4 or 5 persons.
Bring a pan of water to a boil, add the leg of lamb and bring back to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and allow the meat to stew gently for 75 minutes.
Prepare about 400ml of Béchamel sauce, according to the recipe. Drain the lamb and pat dry then pour over about half the Béchamel sauce. Garnish with boiled cauliflower or broccoli florets and serve accompanied by the remaining Béchamel sauce and seasonal vegetables.
