Roast Ewe’s Leg with boiled sliced Beetroots, blanched Beetleafs and Garlic Condiment – The Greek Way – A la Greque

Today’s dish is traditional, as traditional it can be.

Roast Ewe’s Leg, accompanied by boiled beetroot, and beetleafs, with a garlic condiment.

Before I present the dish, I will offer some comments on the etymology of the relevant Greek words, as a small contribution to saving the Greek Language.

Morning of 8th January 2012 in Marathon, Attica, Greece
Morning of 8th January 2012 in Marathon, Attica, Greece

Το πιατο της ημερας ειναι “Μπουτακι Προβατινας ψητο στο φουρνο με σκορδαλια, παντζαρια και φυλλα.”

Αφιερωνεται στα κοριτσια της γειτονιας του ΦΜΠ, και πιο συγκεκριμενα (με συνθηματικα ονοματα, καθοσον μας παρακολουθουν απο ολες τις ηπειρους): ΑΝ, ΕΥ, και ΚΕ2.

Κοπιαστε κοπελλες.

Picasso, The Three Graces, 1925
Picasso, The Three Graces, 1925

Η ετυμολογια

Με δεδομενη την οξυτατη απειλη αφανισμου της ελληνικης γλωσσας, οδηγουμαι νομοτελειακα εις την ετυμολογικη αναδειξη των λεξεων. Για ιστορικους λογους (αλλα και λογους γλωσσολογικους) αναφερω οτι καθως εψαχνα στο λεξικο την προβατινα, επεσα πανω στον “πουτανιαρη”. Ισως αυτο αποτελει ενα μηνυμα των υπερτερων δυναμεων, το οπιον αδυνατω να ερμηνευσω προς το παρον.  

Προβατινα: το θηλυκο προβατο. Το προβατο εκ του ρηματος “προβαινω”. Η κινουμενη περιουσια.

Παντζαρια: Γνωστα και ως κοκκινογουλια. Εκ της τουρκικης λεξεως pancar.

Rast Ewe's Leg - The Greek Way
Rast Ewe’s Leg – The Greek Way

Let us begin with the ewe. I got a leg of approximately 2,5 kilograms. I rubbed coarse sea salt on it, added some pepper, and put it in a roasting dish on top a bed of bay leaves and rosemary.

Ewe's Roast Leg - The Greek Way
Roast Ewe’s Leg – The Greek Way

The baking technique is my secret. I only disclose that midway through the roasting process I add garlic cloves. Which you can see in the dish and are in my humble opinion taste even better than the meat.

Roast Ewe's LEg with Garlic Cloves
Roast Ewe’s Leg with Garlic Cloves

As a matter of fact, one of the dishes in my last menu before I travel to the world beyond, is going to be these garlic cloves, dressed with the juice of the ewe’s leg, on top of sliced leg meat.

Blanched beet leafs
Blanched beet leafs

The equally exciting part of the dish os boiled sliced beetroot, with blanched beet leafs, and a garlic condiment.

The beet leafs were as fresh as they can get when I bought them this morning. They have a velvety texture and a subtle flavour.

Roast Ewe's Leg, with boiled beetroot, blanched beet leafs, and garlic condiment
Roast Ewe’s Leg, with boiled beetroot, blanched beet leafs, and garlic condiment

The garlic condiment I made with barley rusks (παξιμαδι κριθαρενιο), garlic, olive oil, salt and lemon.

Serve and enjoy with a robust red wine and good company.

Sunset in Vouliagmeni, Attica, Greece
Sunset in Vouliagmeni, Attica, Greece

Salve!!!!!!