I never tire of telling people how good our Irish lamb is. With the television programme, I have the opportunity to travel and eat wonderful food, but I always come to the same conclusion. Our Irish food is very, very good and our lamb is spectacular. This dinner is perfect for serving from the end of May until mid-September, when there is plenty of spring lamb available.
This baked dessert is well worth trying. If you want a change from apricots, it works well with peaches too. Look out for ripe peaches for this pudding. To test for ripeness, sniff rather than squeeze. The aroma should be fragrant and sweet. It should be possible to find decent specimens from May until October although there is no doubt that the best for flavour are the Italian and French ones, which are available at the height of the summer.
Mustard and herb best end of lamb with braised summer vegetables
Serves four
2 racks of lamb, chined (each with 6 bones)
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
50g (2oz) fresh white breadcrumbs
4 fresh rosemary sprigs, leaves stripped and finely chopped
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
25g (1oz) butter
1 tsp tomato puree
5 tbsp red wine
200ml (7fl oz) lamb or chicken stock (from a cube is fine)
Braised summer vegetables
12 baby carrots, scrubbed or peeled
150g (5½oz) new potatoes, peeled and chopped
200g (7oz) baby turnips, scrubbed and cut in half if large (trim down tops to 2cm/¾ in)
50g (2oz) puy lentils
50g (2oz) butter
Pinch of caster sugar
Small bunch of fresh mint, leaves stripped and chopped
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 180oC (350oF/gas mark 4) and heat a heavy-based pan. Add the oil to the pan and then quickly sear each rack of lamb to seal in the juices.
2. Mix the breadcrumbs and rosemary on a flat plate. Brush the fat side of the sealed lamb with the mustard and then press on the breadcrumb mixture to provide a crust. Arrange side-by-side in a roasting tin and roast for 25 minutes for pink lamb; longer for well-done meat. When the lamb is cooked, transfer to a warm dish and leave to rest in a warm place for 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make the braised summer vegetables, place the baby carrots in a large pan with the new potatoes and baby turnips. Tip in the lentils and then pour in 300ml (½ pint) of water. Add the butter and sugar and bring to the boil, then boil fast for 20-25 minutes or until all of the vegetables and lentils are tender and the water has evaporated. Stir in the mint and red wine vinegar and cook for another few minutes to combine, stirring occasionally. Season to taste.
4. To make the gravy, heat the butter and tomato puree for one minute in a small pan. Add the red wine and cook for a few minutes or until reduced to a fifth of the original quantity. Pour in the stock and again reduce for about five minutes, or until reduced to a fifth of the original quantity. Season to taste.
5. Carve the lamb into individual cutlets. Spoon the braised summer vegetables on to warmed plates and arrange the lamb cutlets on top. Drizzle around the gravy to serve.
Baked apricots with amaretti
Serves four
85g (3oz) butter
12 ripe apricots
12 amaretti biscuits
2 tbsp toasted flaked almonds
2 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tsp ground ginger
85ml (3fl oz) Amaretto (almond liqueur)
120ml (4fl oz) freshly-squeezed orange juice
Vanilla ice cream, to serve
1. Preheat the oven to 190oC (375oF/gas mark 5). Lightly butter a baking dish with 15g (½oz) of the butter.
2. Place the apricots in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave them for 30 seconds to one minute and then drain and cover with ice-cold water. Peel off the skins, cut in half to remove the stones and then arrange cut-side up in the buttered baking dish.
3. Place the amaretti biscuits in a food processor or liquidiser with the almonds, sugar and ground ginger, then pulse until crumbled. Add the remaining butter and the Amaretto and pulse again to a paste.
4. Place a teaspoon of the amaretti mixture into the centres of each apricot half and pour around the orange juice. Bake for 20-25 minutes, basting with a little orange juice from time to time.
5. Arrange the apricots with a little of the juices in bowls and add scoops of the vanilla ice cream to serve. CL