LAMB WITH RICOTTA, APRICOTS & PESTO

Welsh salt marsh lamb is ideal for this tasty, inexpensive dish.

SERVES: 4-6 TAKES: 3 HRS 30 MINS PLUS 3 HRS SIMMERING

INGREDIENTS

2 breasts of lamb, bones removed, chopped and reserved (or ask your butcher to chop the bones for you) 150g fresh breadcrumbs

1 tbsp wild garlic pesto (or regular pesto) a couple of sprigs of rosemary, leaves

removed and chopped 10 ready-to-eat dried apricots, chopped 250g ricotta

1 egg, beaten

200g spinach samphire and wilted spinach, to serve

FOR THE SAUCE

olive oil, for frying

1 onion, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped into rounds 1 bay leaf

1 sprig rosemary

2-3 garlic cloves

100ml port

1 tsp tomato purée

100g butter, to thicken (optional) 100g plain flour, to thicken (optional)

METHOD

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, then fry the onion, carrot, herbs, garlic and lamb bones. Add the port and tomato purée, then cover with water. Simmer for 3 hrs.

Heat oven to 240C, 220C fan, gas 9. Mix the breadcrumbs with the pesto, rosemary, apricots, ricotta, egg and a little salt and pepper. Stir in the spinach.

Lay out the lamb on a board and season. Spoon half the pesto mix down the centre of the first breast, then bring the sides together and sew with a trussing needle. Repeat with the second breast.

Put the meat in a roasting tin with a rack and roast for 20 mins. Add 200ml water, then lower heat to 170C, 150C fan, gas 3½ and cook for around 2 hrs 30 mins.

Strain the stock, then boil rapidly to reduce to a syrupy consistency (to thicken, mix the butter and flour, then stir into the sauce until it reaches the desired thickness).

Leave the meat to rest for 10 mins, then carve into thickish slices. Serve with the marsh samphire and wilted spinach. Recipe taken from From

Mountain to Sea, by Kate Probert (£30, L’Amuse Chez Kate)