Delicisou Dishes: Matured spring lamb

Year old lamb with a nice mature flavour is ideal for casseroles and stews or even roasting served up with the right vegetables & sauces. Sometimes at this time of the year people expect lamb to be very pale in colour, when actually it’s quite dark, cooked the proper way it can be very tasty.

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Roast shoulder of lamb studded with anchovies

1 Shoulder of Lamb, boned & rolled, about 5lb/2.25kg weight

4 Garlic Cloves

Sprig of Rosemary

1 large Onion

8 Anchovy Fillets

Salt & Peppers

Olive Oil

Preheat the oven to 200. Cut each anchovy fillet into 3 – 4 pieces, cut the garlic into slivers, then with a pointed knife make indentations in the shoulder of lamb, place a piece of garlic, anchovy and small sprig of rosemary in the lamb, season all over with salt & pepper.

Slice the onion and place in a roasting tin, lay the shoulder of lamb on top of the onion, drizzle some olive oil over the lamb and place in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes then reduce the heat down to about 180 and cook for about 1 to 2 hours until the lamb is cooked.

Check the meat is done by inserting a skewer or pointed knife into the thickened part of the meat, the juices should run clear before it runs pink and the skewer should go into the flesh without any resistance. If you like you can roast the shoulder of lamb with the bone still in, leave to rest for 20 minutes before you carve.

Braised lamb chops with cider

4 large Gigot Chops or 8 Loin Chops

2 Leeks, sliced

1 Turnip, cubed

4 Carrots, cut into quarters

4 Onions, cut into quarters

Bouquet garni

Salt & Pepper

1tsp Tomato Puree

1tsp Brown Sugar

1pt/568ml Cider

1tbsp Olive Oil

1tbsp Flour

Place the oil in a frying pan and fry off the leeks until cooked, remove from the pan and keep to one side, then cook the onions and turnip until nice and brown.

Remove from the pan and keep to one side, coat the cutlets in flour and fry on the frying pan until nice and brown, try not to burn the flour, place the leeks in a casserole dish and put the cutlets sitting on top.

Place the sugar, tomato puree and some of the cider in the frying pan to pick up the bits of flour from the cutlets, bring to the boil and pour over the cutlets in the casserole dish, add in the fried onions and turnip along with the carrot, then cover with the cider.

Cook for about 1 hour in a preheated oven at 170, you can also cook it on top of the cooker if you wish. Skim off any fat and correct the seasoning, serve sprinkled with chopped parsley and boiled potatoes.

All in one spring fruit cake

6oz/168g Light Muscovado Sugar

6oz/168g Butter

6oz/168g Self Raising Flour

3 Eggs

1oz/28g Ground Almonds

4oz/112g Sultanas

4oz/112g Cherries

4oz/112g Dried Apricots, cut into small pieces

4oz/112g Dried Cranberries

Rind of 1 Lemon

Rind of 1 Orange

2tsp Mixed Spice

Grease and line an 8”/20cm round tin with baking parchment. Place all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix with a wooden spoon until well mixed, transfer into the cake tin and place in a preheated oven at 160. Bake for 1 to 2 hours until golden brown and firm to touch in the centre. If the cake is getting too brown cover with a disc of brown paper after 1 hours.