North African Lamb Tagine (Serves 4)
A sweet, aromatic dish with a plethora of traditional, North African flavours and spices...
Ingredients: 600g Lamb Shoulder (Cubed)
1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
1 Onion (Peeled & Sliced)
3 Cloves of Garlic (Peeled & Sliced)
1 Teaspoon Medium Chilli Powder
1 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Ground Ginger
1 Tablespoon Ground Cinnamon
1 Tablespoon Ground Turmeric
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cardamom
1 Lemon (Peel Only)
80g Dried Apricots (Halved)
45g Dates (Halved)
45g Sultanas
60g Flaked Almonds
150ml Tomato Juice
450ml Lamb Stock
400g Chopped Tomatoes
A Pinch of Saffron
1 Tablespoon Clear Honey
2 Tablespoons Fresh Coriander
Method:
1. Marinate the cubed lamb shoulder in half of the chilli powder, black pepper, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric and cardamom in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
2. In a large casserole pan fry the onion and the remainder of the spice mix. Cook for 8 minutes, before adding the garlic for a further 2.
3. In a separate frying pan, fry the lamb and brown evenly. Add the lamb to the casserole pan, before deglazing the pan with the tomato juice and adding that too.
4. To the casserole pan add the lemon peel, apricots, dates, sultanas, almonds, lamb stock, chopped tomatoes, saffron and honey.
5. Turn down the hob to a low heat and cover the casserole pan with a lid. Cook for 2-3 hours until the lamb starts to pull apart.
6. Season the tagine to taste with salt and ground black pepper, before serving in a tagine and sprinkling with the fresh coriander.
7. Serve with cous-cous and flatbreads.
Roasted Shoulder of Lamb served with Garlic & Thyme Roast Potatoes
(Serves 4)
A traditional Sunday Roast, given a Greek twist with honey and oregano...
Ingredients: 1.2kg Shoulder of Lamb (Trimmed)
1 Bunch Thyme
5 Sprigs Rosemary
1 Tablespoon Dried Oregano
1 Bulb of Garlic (Peeled)
1 Tablespoon Honey
125ml Water
700g Potatoes (Peeled & Quartered)
70ml Vegetable Oil
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
2. With the tip of a sharp knife, score the layer of skin and fat to give a cross-hatching effect on the top of the shoulder.
3. Using half of the garlic bulb, push the cloves evenly into the skin of the shoulder and make a rub using the thyme, rosemary, oregano, salt and ground black pepper.
4. Using a handful of the rub, rub over the shoulder of lamb. Place the shoulder into a casserole pan, using another handful of rub to spread over the bottom of the pan.
5. Drizzle the honey over the top of the lamb, before adding 30ml of vegetable oil. Pour the water into the casserole pan and cook in the oven for 2-3 hours until the meat pulls away easily from the bone. Check after one hour, to assure that not all the water has evaporated, if it has add a similar quantity for the remainder of cooking time.
6. For the roast potatoes, part-boil the potatoes for 15 minutes in a large saucepan. Meanwhile, pour the remaining vegetable oil into a roasting tray, before transferring to the oven. Once the oil is starting to smoke, add the potatoes, thyme and the remaining garlic cloves and roast for 35-40 minutes. Until the potatoes are golden brown on the outside and soft and fluffy in the middle.
7. Allow the lamb to rest for 5 minutes before carving and then serve immediately.
Lamb Rump, Wild Garlic Butter, Boulangere Potatoes & Minted Pea Puree
(Serves 4)
A seasonal, restaurant dish, that would impress any dinner party guests...
Ingredients: 4 Lamb Rumps
125ml White Wine
500ml Lamb Stock
400g Fresh or Frozen Peas
1 Shallot (Peeled & Finely Diced)
1 Clove of Garlic (Peeled & Finely Chopped)
100g Salted Butter (Softened)
100ml Double Cream
8 Sprigs of Thyme (Leaves Only)
A Small Handful of Fresh Mint (Finely Chopped)
1 Onion (Peeled & Finely Sliced)
700g Potatoes (Peeled & Sliced 2mm Thick)
A Small Handful of Wild Garlic (Finely Chopped)
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
2. To make the boulangere potatoes, soften the onions and thyme on a low to medium heat for 15 minutes until the onions are softened.
3. In a baking dish layer the potatoes, seasoning each layer alternating with some of the softened onions until the dish is nearly full. Pour over 250ml of the lamb stock and bake in the oven for 1 hour until the potatoes are tender and cooked through.
4. Meanwhile, for the pea puree melt 25g of the butter in a small pan on a high heat, frying the shallot and garlic for 5 minutes until they start to soften. Add half the peas, cooking for a further 1 minute before adding the cream. Once the peas are cooked, transfer the contents to a blender with the chopped mint and blitz until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve or shinois to get a better consistency before seasoning to taste.
5. For the wild garlic butter, mash the wild garlic into the remaining softened butter
before rolling butter up into a small sausage in the clingfilm and place in the fridge to firm up.
6. To cook the lamb rumps, put a large frying pan on a high heat, with a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Season the rumps and once the pan is starting to smoke, add the rumps. Brown evenly on all sides, before transferring to the oven for 10-12 minutes (medium) depending on the size of the rumps. Allow to rest for 2 minutes before slicing.
7. To make the sauce to accompany the lamb, de-glaze the pan of which you fried the lamb in with white wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to get the residual lamb essence into the sauce. Once the wine has reduce by two thirds, add the lamb stock and reduce until thickened.
8. In another pan, half fill with water and bring up to the boil. Blanch the peas for 2-3 minutes dependant on if fresh or frozen.
8. To serve, warm the minted pea puree through before swiping on the plate. Portion the boulangere potatoes into 4, placing delicately next to the swipe. Slice a portion of butter on top of the rump of lamb and serve the sauce on the side. Garnish with the cooked peas and wild garlic flowers if available.
Lamb Rogan Josh (Serves 4)
An aromatic, medium spiced curry. Perfect with plain basmati rice and naan bread...
Ingredients: 500g Lamb Leg or Shoulder (Cubed)
1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
1-2 Red Chilli(s) (Sliced)
150g Roasted Red Peppers (Sliced)
2 Onions (Peeled & Diced)
Thumb-Sized Piece of Ginger (Peeled & Finely Chopped)
4 Cloves of Garlic (Peeled & Crushed)
1 Bay Leaf
1 Tablespoon Garam Masala
1 Teaspoon Paprika
1 Teaspoon Ground Coriander
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 Teaspoon Ground Turmeric
200ml Passata
500ml Lamb or Chicken Stock
Small Handful of Fresh Coriander (Roughly Chopped)
Method:
1. In a large casserole pan, sweat the onions, garlic, chilli(s), roasted pepper and ginger on a medium heat, for 10-15 minutes until soft.
2. Add all the spices and cook for a further 1-2 minutes. Than add the lamb and brown the meat evenly.
3. After the lamb has been fried for 3-4 minutes, add the passata and stock and bring the curry to the boil.
4. Once at this stage, turn the hob down to a low heat, put a lid on and cook for 2-3 hours.
5. Add the fresh coriander and season to taste with salt and ground black pepper.
6. Serve immediately.
Braised Lamb Shanks served with Garlic & Thyme New Potatoes & A Pea & Bacon Ragout (Serves 4)
A wonderful family meal, full of late winter/early spring flavours...
Ingredients:
Braised Lamb Shanks
4 Lamb Shanks
1 Large Onion
4 Cloves of Garlic
4 Sprigs of Rosemary
4 Sprigs of Thyme
2 Bay Leaves
1 Teaspoon Tomato Puree
250ml Red Wine
500ml Lamb or Chicken Stock
Garlic & Thyme New Potatoes
400g New Potatoes (Washed & Halved)
6 Cloves of Garlic (Crushed)
8 Sprigs of Thyme
50g Salted Butter
50ml Olive Oil
Pea & Bacon Ragout
300g Fresh or Frozen Peas
150g Back Bacon
30g Salted Butter
Small Handful of Fresh Mint
Method:
1. In a large casserole dish sweat off the onion, garlic, rosemary, bay leaves an thyme in a tablespoon of oil on a medium to high heat for around 5-10 minutes.
2. Once softened brown off the lamb shanks evenly and then deglaze the pan with red wine, to reduce the wine by half.
3. Stir in tomato puree, cooking for a further minute before adding lamb/chicken stock. Turn the hob down to a low heat, put a lid on and leave to braise for 2-3 hours or when the lamb starts to fall of the bone.
4. For the new potatoes, preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius and place the new potatoes, oil, butter, garlic and thyme on a roasting tray making sure they are all mixed and incorporated together. Roast for 30 minutes, checking every 10 minutes to see if they're soft in the middle, but crisp on the outside.
5. For the pea and bacon ragout, caramelise the bacon in the butter for 5-10 minutes before adding the peas. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes until the peas have cooked through before taking off the heat and adding the chopped mint.
6. Serve immediately.
