1 leg of lamb bone in, approx 2kg/4½lb
6 garlic cloves, halved
1 bunch fresh rosemary
15g/½oz softened butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper

seasonal vegetables

1.2kg/2b 10oz potatoes

2 teaspoon mixed herbs

a drizzle of olive oil

2 dessertspoons of plain flour

Prepare

Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.

Make 2.5cm/1in deep incisions in the lamb, into each incision insert the garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs

Cook

Rub the butter over the lamb and place in roasting tin, season and place in the oven for 1-1½ hours (15 minutes per 450g/1lb for rare and 20 minutes for medium)

Prepare the potatoes by parboiling…drain and add the olive oil and herbs. Add the potatoes to the lamb roasting tin for the last half hour

Remove the lamb from the oven, season again and transfer to a tray to rest. Remove the potatoes and keep the juices to make the gravy

Prepare vegetables and add to boiling water for 5-10 minutes. Drain and serve

To make the gravy: place the roasting pan over a moderate heat for 2-3 minutes. Strain off any excess fat. Add the flour and mix well. Pour in 350ml/12fl oz cold water, reduce heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Strain through a sieve.

Serve

Allow the joint to rest for at least 10 minutes before carving to allow the meat to relax and the juices to disperse.   

350 grammes of cooked, diced or minced lamb

450 grammes of  potatoes

1 large onion

1 stock cube

300 millilitres of hot water

seasoning to taste

Prepare

Peel and thinly slice the potatoes and onion.

In a shallow pan, layer the potato, onion and meat alternately seasoning each layer as you go. Finish with a layer of potatoes.

Crumble the stock cube into the hot water and pour over the contents of the pan.

Cook

Cover the pan with a lid and simmer gently for about 25 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the liquid has been absorbed.

2 Scotch lamb shanks

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

1 onion, peeled and chopped

1 leek, chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

250ml (½pt) lamb stock

60ml (4tbsp) malt whisky

450g (1lb) potatoes, cooked and mashed

Vegetable oil

Salt and pepper

Method

Heat oil in a heavy based pan or casserole dish. Season lamb shanks and brown on all sides. Add chopped vegetables, garlic and stock and bring to a simmer. Place in a medium oven 170ºC, 325ºF, Gas Mark 3 and cook for approx. 2 hours, turning shanks once or twice during cooking.

Meat should be just falling off the bone when cooked. Strain cooking juices into a pan, add the whisky and reduce by one third (to thicken the sauce a little, mash in some of the cooking vegetables) and check seasoning.

Place the mashed potato in the centre of a large plate. Put lamb shank on top with shank pointing up and spoon sauce around.

Serve with French beans and puy lentils or seasonal vegetables.

Serves 2

500 grammes of lean diced lamb

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 red onion

A small piece fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves

1 tablespoon of ground cumin

1 tablespoon of ground coriander

400 grammes of can chopped tomatoes

1 teaspoon of garam masala

Prepare

Heat the oil in a large frying pan, brown the diced lamb then remove from the pan. Slice and fry the onion in the same pan until soft but not brown. Finely grate the ginger and crush the garlic cloves. Stir into the onions along with the spices and gently cook for a few minutes .

Cook

Return the lamb to the pan, pour over the tomatoes and bring to mix to the boil. Leave to simmer over a gentle heat for a little over an hour until the meat is quite tender.

Keep checking the liquid levels and add extra water in small quantities to prevent the curry from drying out.

Serve

Serve with rice, nan bread or poppadums.