Lamb: a great taste of Spring

MINI SHEPHERD’S PIES

Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour Serves: 2

Ingredients: • 225g/8oz Lamb mince • 1 small onion, chopped • 200g can tomatoes • 5ml/1tsp tomato puree • 1 clove garlic crushed • 5ml/1tspdried mixed herbs • 220g can baked beans • 225g/8oz potatoes, roughly chopped • 175-225g/6-8oz parsnips, roughly chopped • 60ml/4tbsp butter • Salt & freshly ground pepper

Pre heat oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5 Dry fry the mince and onion until brown. Add in the canned tomatoes, tomato puree, garlic and mixed herbs and bring the mixture to the boil. Season well, reduce the heat and simmer the meat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until cooked. Stir in the baked beans and divide the base between two individual pie dishes.

Meanwhile cook the potatoes and parsnips together in boiling salted water for 20-30 minutes until soft and then drain. Mash them until smooth, stir in the butter, check for seasoning then spread the mixture on top of the pies. Sprinkle with sesame seeds (or as an alternative kettle chips) then bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and heated through.

Cook’s tip: Frozen mince can be dry fried from frozen

RICH LAMB & RED WINE CASSEROLE

Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes Serves: 6

Ingredients • 1.2kg/2lb 10oz lamb leg meat, cut into 3cm/1¼in chunks • 2tbsp sunflower oil • 12 shallots, peeled and halved • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed • 4 rashers rindless streaky bacon, sliced into 1cm/½in pieces • 1 lamb stock cube • 250ml/9floz red wine • 2tbsp tomato purée • 2tsp fresh thyme leaves • 1 bay leaf • 350g/12oz button mushrooms, halved • 1tbsp cornflour mixed with 1tbsp cold water to make a smooth paste • Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 190°C/Gas 5.

Season the lamb with ground black pepper. Heat 1tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan and fry the meat in three batches until well browned, turning frequently, adding a little more oil if necessary. Transfer the lamb to a large flame proof casserole and set aside. Heat the remaining oil in the frying pan and cook the shallots and garlic for 4-5 minutes until lightly browned. Put on a plate and set aside.

Add the bacon to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until crisp. Add the mixture to the lamb.

Dissolve the stock cube in 400ml/14floz boiling water and pour over the lamb. Add the red wine, tomato purée, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to the boil, then cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for 1 hour.

Remove casserole from the oven and stir in the shallots, garlic, mushrooms and cornflour paste. Return to the oven for a further 30 minutes until the lamb is tender. Season to taste and serve with a selection of vegetables.

ONE PAN LAMB

Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes Serves: 4

Ingredients • 4 Lamb chump chops, thawed if frozen • 350g tub arrabiata sauce • 400g can butterbeans, drained • Olive oil • Microwaveable rice • Broccoli

1. Heat a small amount of olive oil in a large pan. Add the chump chops and brown all over. Remove and set aside.

2. Tip in the jar of arrabiata sauce. Half fill the tub with water and add to the pan. Bring to the boil.

3. Stir in the butterbeans along with the chump chops, and a little salt and pepper. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes until the lamb is completely cooked through. Serve with a selection of microwaveable accompaniments such as rice and broccoli.

Hints and tips: • Ready-made fresh pasta sauces are not just for pasta. They’re great to make bases for quick casseroles and stews, as they already contain onions, herbs and seasoning. So there is no need for chopping and lengthy cooking – that job is already done. Any ready-made tomato based sauce would work well with this recipe.

• Use whatever cut of lamb you can get. Neck fillets would work just as well.

• Add a splash of red wine to the sauce instead of water in step 2 for a richer, more sophisticated flavour.

LAZY LAMB

Preparation: 5-10 minutes Cooking: 2¾ hours - 3¼ hours Serves: 4-6

Ingredients • A part-boned leg lamb, frozen • 1 tbsp oil • 1 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves (from 1 sprig) or 1 tbsp dried rosemary • ½ lamb stock cube • 150ml red wine • 2 tsp mint sauce • 2 tbsp redcurrant jelly • 2-3 tbsp gravy granules • frozen roast potatoes and mixed farmhouse vegetables, to serve

1. Preheat oven to 150°C/Gas 2/ fan oven 130°C. Put the lamb in a large roasting tin and drizzle with the oil. Season with freshly ground black pepper and sprinkle with rosemary.

2.Dissolve a stock cube in 450ml boiling water and add to the pan. Stir in the red wine and mint sauce. Cover the tin with a double layer of aluminium foil, pinching tightly around the edges of the pan to make a good seal. Put in the oven and forget about it until cooked through.

3. Carefully take tin out of the oven and discard foil. Increase oven temperature to 240°C/Gas 9/fan oven 220°C (or according to roast potato pack instructions). Lift lamb onto a plate and pour cooking liquid into a large saucepan. Skim off fat and add redcurrant jelly.

4. Put potatoes in oven to cook. Return lamb to tin. Bake above potatoes for 20 minutes or until the lamb has lightly browned and is thoroughly cooked. Boil frozen vegetables until tender.

5. Heat the cooking liquid until it begins to bubble. Stir in the gravy granules and cook gently for 1-2 minutes until thickened. Carve the lamb and serve with roast potatoes, vegetables and the minty gravy.

Cook’s tip: The long slow cooking makes the lamb tender and almost impossible to spoil. It can be cooked for anything between 2½ and 3 hours without coming to any harm. and just needs a short blast with heat to brown it off.

RECIPES: COURTESY OF NEW ZEALAND LAMB

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