What is Special Sweet Berry and Balsamic Sauce for Lamb Roast?
– Caramelized onions cooked with strawberries and raspberries, with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar – the best sauce for lamb roasts.
Recipe Intro
Several years ago, I enjoyed a holiday in the southwest of Great Britain (Cornwall). During our journey, we made frequent stops to photograph almost every castle we passed. Next to one of these ancient castles, we stumbled upon a charming, well-preserved pub dating back to the 16th century! The historic allure of the place was irresistible. They offered a range of traditional British dishes with a modern twist, including a tempting lamb roast, my favourite.
As lamb is my preferred choice of red meat, I was immediately intrigued, particularly by the sauce accompanying the lamb. The combination of strawberries, blueberries, caramelized onions, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar seemed unconventional to me, as I had never experienced strawberries in the form of gravy before. Moreover, knowing it was made with local lamb added an extra layer of anticipation, promising an exceptional flavour.
I’ve cooked lamb in various ways, but I’ve never tried serving it with a fruit sauce like this one. I was eager to recreate the same sauce. Instead of blueberries, I chose raspberries, as they would blend better, I wanted the fruit to dissolve into the sauce. It turned out perfect. It had a proper consistency, almost like gravy.
Essential Ingredients and Substitutes
- berries – A mix of strawberries and raspberries creates a lovely gravy-like texture, but feel free to experiment with different berries to customize the sauce to your taste preferences. For example, you can substitute raspberries with blueberries for a slightly different flavour profile.
- balsamic vinegar – Incorporating it directly into the sauce adds depth and complexity to the fruity flavours.
- onions – To achieve the perfect balance of flavour and sweetness in the sauce, it’s recommended to use a mix of both yellow and red onions. While red onions bring a natural sweetness and depth of flavour when caramelized, yellow onions add a more subtle and savoury undertone to the sauce.
- lamb – For this recipe, I purchased a boneless leg of lamb, which I then rolled and tied before roasting. However, there are various other cuts to explore, such as lamb shoulder, lamb chops, cut from the rib or loin.
Mint and thyme are optional ingredients for the sauce, but you can add them directly to enhance the flavour. I chose not to include them in the sauce as I already added them to the lamb roast and gravy.
How to make Sweet Berry and Balsamic Sauce
- In a combination of oil and butter, gently fry the onion and shallot for approximately 3-4 minutes until they become translucent. Then, add the sugar and continue frying, stirring occasionally, until the onions are completely caramelized. Be careful not to let them brown; the aim is for a beautiful caramelization without allowing them to turn too dark. This process should take around another 5-7 minutes.
- After that, add the garlic, salt, pepper, raspberries, and strawberries. I sliced the strawberries to make them easier to cook while leaving the raspberries whole since they break down quickly. Continue cooking until the strawberries and raspberries break down and the sauce obtains a beautiful red colour. Remember to stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Towards the end, add juices from roasting the lamb, and balsamic vinegar, and let it simmer for another 3 minutes.
If the sauce is too thick, add a bit of water. If the sauce is too thin, you can thicken it by mixing 1 teaspoon of plain or corn flour with 100ml of water. Once combined, pour this mixture into the sauce to achieve your desired thickness, and let it simmer for 2 minutes. - If you fancy it smooth, whizz it in the blender. Make sure it is slightly cooled before adding to the blender.
Lamb roast
Start with a generous seasoning of salt and pepper. Then, amp up the flavour by spreading minced garlic all over the meat, inside and out. Roll the meat and tie it with a few pieces of cooking twine. Coat evenly with some oil.
Place the lamb in a preheated oven at 160°C, letting it cook for around an hour and 15 minutes. For those who prefer a medium-rare texture with a hint of pink, shaving off some time, aiming for about 45 min should do the trick. Remember to cover it with foil, but in the final 15 minutes, remove the foil to achieve that golden finish.
Serving Sweet Berry and Balsamic sauce with lamb
After letting the meat rest for a while, it’s time to slice it up and pour over the delicious sauce. And for an extra flavour kick, add a little more balsamic vinegar on top. Serve it with some roasted onion rings and baked potatoes for the perfect pub-style meal.
This sweet berry sauce is not just for lamb! It pairs perfectly with roast beef or turkey. Try it with this delicious Festive Roasted Turkey Roulade?
If made thicker, resembling a chutney consistency, it can be stored in jars and enjoyed with cheese boards, cold cuts, crackers, and more, just like a traditional chutney.
Recipe Card
Sweet Balsamic Sauce for Lamb Roast
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg boneless leg of lamb
- 4-5 clove garlic
- salt - pepper
- olive oil
FOR THE SAUCE
- 6-8 large strawberries
- 1/2 cup raspberries - fresh or frozen
- 1 onion
- 1 shallot
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tsp butter
- a few tbsp sunflower or olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- salt, pepper - to taste
- 1 tsp mint leaves, thyme - optional
- 1 tsp flour - optional
Instructions
MEAT
- Season the lamb with salt and pepper, then generously coat it inside and out with minced garlic. Roll and tie with cooking twine. Brush with oil all over.
- Preheat the oven to 160°C. Cover the meat with foil and roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes. If you like it "rare" with a slight pinkish interior, roast for about 45 minutes. During the last 15 minutes, remove the foil and return the meat to the oven to get a golden colour.
- When done, remove and let it rest for 10 minutes, then transfer the meat to a larger plate and pour the cooking liquid into a smaller saucepan and save it for sauce.
SAUCE
- In oil and butter, fry the onions and shallots for about 5 minutes, then add the sugar and continue frying until the onions are completely caramelized, about 5 more minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Then add the garlic, salt, pepper, raspberries, and strawberries. Continue frying until the strawberries and raspberries break down and the sauce takes on a nice red colour.
- Towards the end, add roasting juices, balsamic vinegar, simmer for another 3 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, add a little water.
- Once the meat has rested, slice it into slices and pour over this delicious sauce.
Notes
Do you cook with fruit?
I’d love to discover main dishes from your country that incorporate fruit into their recipes! And if you decide to try this berry sauce, please let me know in the comments how it turned out and what you served it with!
– bon appétit!