Loin of Mutton en Papillote

Ingredients

• 1 whole joint Loin of mutton (Ask your butcher to trim it neatly, removing excess fat and any sinew. A bone-in loin of mutton works best here.)
• 1 breakfast cupful (approx. 200 ml) Salad oil (Use a mild, neutral oil such as light olive oil or sunflower oil. This forms the base of the marinade.)
• 2 medium Onions (Sliced very finely into thin matchstick strips (Julienne-style): peel, halve, and cut along the grain into thin strips.)
• 1 medium Carrot (Peeled and sliced very finely into thin matchstick strips (Julienne-style): cut into 5 cm lengths, then slice thinly lengthways, then again into thin strips.)
• 1 small handful (approx. 1 teaspoon) Whole peppercorns (Use whole black peppercorns. Do not grind them — they go into the marinade whole.)
• 1 small pinch (approx. 4–6 whole) Cloves (Use whole dried cloves. They add a warm, fragrant depth to the marinade.)
• 1 to taste Salt (Season generously to suit the size of the joint. Fine sea salt or table salt both work.)
• 1 small bunch (approx. 2–3 tablespoons chopped) Chopped parsley (Fresh flat-leaf or curly parsley. Wash, dry, and chop roughly before adding to the marinade.)
• 1 teaspoon Powdered dried sweet herbs (A blend of dried sweet herbs such as dried thyme, marjoram, or similar mild dried herbs, ground to a powder. Use whatever dried sweet herb you have available.)

Instructions

1. 1Place your loin of mutton on a clean board. Using a sharp knife, trim away any excess fat or sinew to neaten the joint. You want it to have a tidy, presentable shape that will cook evenly. Pat it dry with a clean cloth or kitchen paper if available. Set it aside while you prepare the marinade.
2. 2Peel and finely slice the 2 onions into thin Julienne strips: halve them from root to tip and slice along the grain into thin matchsticks. Peel the carrot, cut it into 5 cm lengths, slice each piece thinly lengthways, then stack the slices and cut into thin matchstick strips. Wash, dry, and roughly chop the parsley. Gather the whole peppercorns, whole cloves, salt, and powdered dried sweet herbs. All the marinade ingredients are now ready.
3. 3Choose a deep dish or roasting pan large enough to hold the loin of mutton lying flat. Pour in the breakfast cupful (approx. 200 ml) of salad oil. Add the Julienne-cut onions and carrot, the whole peppercorns, whole cloves, salt, chopped parsley, and the teaspoon of powdered dried sweet herbs. Stir everything together. Lay the trimmed loin of mutton into this marinade, turning it to coat all sides well. The meat should be nestled among the vegetables and aromatics. This is your marinade — it should surround and cover as much of the meat surface as possible. Place the dish in a cool spot (a refrigerator if available, or a cool larder) and leave it to marinate from the morning until you are ready to roast it in the afternoon or evening — ideally at least 6–8 hours.
4. 4Several times throughout the day, during the marinating period, turn the joint over in its marinade so all sides absorb the oil and aromatics evenly. Each time you turn it, spoon some of the marinade oil over the top surface — this is called basting. Aim to do this at least every 1–2 hours. This helps the meat stay well coated and flavoured all the way through the marinating period.
5. 5When you are ready to roast, preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan / Gas Mark 6). Tear off a large sheet of parchment paper (baking paper) — it needs to be big enough to wrap the entire loin generously. Brush or rub the paper all over with salad oil from the marinade so it is well coated and won't stick or dry out. Lift the loin from its marinade and place it in the centre of the oiled paper. Spoon the marinade vegetables — the onions, carrot, parsley, peppercorns, and cloves — over and around the meat. Fold the paper up and around the joint, enclosing it completely like a parcel. Fold and tuck the edges firmly so the parcel holds together and will not open in the oven. Place the wrapped parcel in a roasting tin.
6. 6Place the roasting tin with the wrapped joint in the preheated oven at 200°C (180°C fan / Gas Mark 6). Roast carefully, checking regularly. Every 20–25 minutes, carefully open the oven and spoon or brush some of the marinade oil over the outside of the paper parcel to keep it moist and prevent burning — this is basting the parcel. Do this gently so the parcel stays closed. Continue roasting for approximately 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes in total depending on the size of your joint, until the meat is nearly done. The paper may darken during cooking — this is normal as long as it does not catch fire or char heavily.
7. 7When the joint is nearly done — the meat should feel firm when pressed and juices should run mostly clear — carefully remove the roasting tin from the oven. Unwrap and remove the paper parcel wrapping, taking care as steam will escape. Use a spoon or tongs to brush off the vegetables and aromatics that were packed around the meat — these have done their job of flavouring the joint during roasting and are not served with it. Return the bare joint to the roasting tin. Baste it generously with the oil from the marinade. Place it back in the oven and roast uncovered for a further 10–15 minutes, until the surface is nicely browned all over. Serve immediately with other vegetables that have been cooked separately in gravy.