Cotswold lamb 'mixed grill' with wild garlic and rosemary lamb gravy

  • medium
  • Serves 4
  • 5 hours
Not yet rated

This hearty main course from Matt Weedon showcases various cuts of lamb in his version of a mixed grill, with lamb belly, lamb rump and lamb faggots topped with a beautiful rosemary and lamb gravy. To complement the rich meat, the chef finishes the dish with a garlic and rosemary mashed potato and a delicately spiced carrot purée. Remember to begin preparations well in advance as the lamb belly requires four hours of cooking and 24 hours of pressing before serving.

First published in 2015

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Lamb belly

Lamb faggots

Rump of lamb

Carrot purée

Mashed potato

Spinach

Rosemary gravy

Garnish

Equipment

  • Silicone paper 2
  • Drum sieve
  • Blender
  • Piping bag and nozzle

Method

1
The day before serving begin to prepare the lamb belly. Add the rapeseed oil to a large saucepan and place over a high heat, then add the lamb belly and caramelise on both sides until golden brown
2
Add the garlic and rosemary and cover with the stock, stirring well. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat slightly and simmer gently for 3-4 hours until tender
3
Remove the lamb belly from the saucepan, carefully reserving the lamb stock for the gravy. Sandwich the lamb belly between two flat trays lined with silicone paper and transfer to the fridge, placing a heavy object on top. Leave the lamb belly to press for 24 hours
4
For the faggots, combine the minced lamb, lamb liver, egg, cream and marjoram in a bowl and mix well. Divide into four even-sized balls and wrap each faggot in a piece of pig's caul, taking care to overlap the caul across the join
5
Add the lamb stock and faggots to a medium saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook the faggots for 20 minutes, then remove from the heat and leave the faggots to cool in the stock. Once cool, remove the faggots and season with salt and pepper. Reserve the lamb stock for the gravy
6
For the rosemary sauce, heat the oil in a medium saucepan and brown the onion. Add the tomato and cook until soft, then add the rosemary and the lamb stock. Bring to the boil, skim off the fat and simmer until reduced to a sauce-like consistency. Pass the sauce through a fine sieve and keep warm
7
For the lamb rump, add the rapeseed oil to a frying pan and bring to a high heat. Caramelise the lamb rump until golden all over, then remove from the heat and add the garlic and rosemary to the pan. Leave the rump to rest in the residual heat for 4-5 mins, then cut into thin slices and keep warm until ready to serve
8
Meanwhile prepare the carrot purée. Chop the carrots and cover with cold water, then add the star anise and salt to the pan and bring to the boil. Simmer the carrots until very tender, then drain and pick out the star anise
9
Transfer to a blender and add 100g of the butter, blitzing on a high speed for 4 minutes until smooth. Brown the remaining 75g of butter in a small pan and add to the carrot purée while still hot, blending for a further 4 minutes. Season to taste, then transfer to a piping bag and keep warm until ready to serve
10
In a large saucepan, cover the potatoes with cold water and add the garlic, rosemary and salt. Bring to the boil and cook the potatoes until tender
11
Drain the potatoes, pick out the garlic and rosemary and pass through a fine drum sieve. While still hot, place the potatoes in a medium sized saucepan and stir in the butter and cream until smooth. Check the seasoning and keep warm
12
Preheat an oven to 200°C/Gas mark 6
13
Place the cherry tomatoes in a small baking tray. Drizzle over a little oil and roast for 8-10 minutes
14
Plunge the spinach into a pan of boiling water, then remove it immediately using a slotted spoon and leave to drain completely between two pieces of kitchen towel. Brown the butter in a saucepan and add the spinach, stirring well and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper
15
Remove the lamb belly from the trays and slice it into four rectangular portions. Heat a frying pan with a little oil and fry the lamb – skin side down – until crisp, then flip the pieces over onto the other side and cook for a further 2 minutes
16
To serve, spoon a generous portion of mashed potato into the middle of each plate and pipe several dots of the carrot purée around it. Place a faggot on top of the mashed potato and arrange slices of lamb rump and belly on either side. Add the wilted spinach and roast tomatoes, topping with wild garlic leaves and flowers. Spoon over some of the rosemary gravy and serve immediately

Soft-spoken and faultlessly modest, chef Matt Weedon prefers to let his accomplishments in the kitchen speak for themselves.

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