Neck of Mutton à la Soubise is a traditional British recipe, based on Charles Elmé Francatelli's recipe of 1861, for a classic dish of a trimmed neck of mutton that's larded and braised on a bed of vegetables before being served with potatoes, soubise sauce and a half-glaze made from the braising liquid. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Neck of Mutton à la Soubise.
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This is a classic recipe for a Victorian version of Neck of Mutton à la Soubise that's derived from the chef, Charles Elmé Francatelli's 1861 volume, The Cook's Guide and Housekeeper's & Butler's Assistant. Below you will find both the recipe in its original form and a modern redaction.
Original Recipe
No. 420.—NECK OF MUTTON A LA SOUBISE.
Braize a larded neck of mutton (without having pickled it) as in the preceding case, and when done, dish it up on some thick Soubise sauce, No. 58 ; garnish it round with either fried potatoes, or potato croquets; pour its own glaze over the neck of mutton, and serve.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
1 whole neck of mutton
fatty bacon sliced into pieces 6mm thick and 15cm long
2 carrots, sliced
2 turnips, sliced
2 onions, sliced
1 bunch of parsley, tied together
1 tsp cloves
2 blades of mace
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
thick soubise sauce, to garnish
fried potatoes or potato croquets, to garnish
Method:
Take the neck and remove the scrag end and chine-bone. Shorten the remaining ribs to about 10cm in length then pare off any excess fat from the neck (leave about 1cm thickness). Now take the neck and remove all fat and sinews from the fleshy parts (over the back of the ribs, etc). Use the fatty bacon pieces to lard all over the surface of the mutton in a weaved pattern, using a larding needle.
Scatter the carrots, turnips and onions in the base of a braising dish and sit the mutton leg on top. Tie the parsley together and add to the dish then tie the spices in a muslin or cheesecloth bag and add these to the braising dish. Pour in enough water to just cover the mutton then transfer to an oven pre-heated to 180°C and cook for about 180 minutes, or until the mutton is cooked through and tender.
Remove the mutton and set aside to keep warm. Strain the cooking liquid into a pan, bring to a boil and cook down to a half-glaze.
Pour soubise sauce on a serving dish and set the mutton on top. Garnish with fried potatoes or potato croquets and pour over some of the half-glaze over the meat. Serve immediately.
