4 simply scrumptious recipes for British lamb

To celebrate Love Lamb Week (1-7 September) we’re sharing four scrumptious recipes that are unbeatable when made with succulent British lamb.

Each of these meals is ideal for the family dinner table and they showcase just a few of the dishes you can cook using various cuts of lamb – neck fillet, mince, rack of lamb and diced shoulder.

Remember, British lamb isn’t just for Easter – it is delicious at all times of the year. You can check more great recipes for hungry farmers on our recipes page.

See also: Young sheep farmers share tips on marketing lamb all year round

Check out quick and easy recipes for a one-pot lamb casserole, Shrewsbury lamb pies, herb-crusted rack of lamb and Indian shepherd’s pie.

One-pot lamb casserole with peas, button onions and new potatoes

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp plain flour
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 650g lamb neck fillet, diced
• 2 tbsp vegetable or rapeseed oil
• 12 button onions or shallots, peeled
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 2 tsp runny honey
• 400ml chicken/lamb stock
• 200g baby new potatoes, washed
• 250g frozen peas
• 1 tbsp mint, chopped finely

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Season the flour and toss the lamb in it. Heat the oil in a large casserole and brown the lamb pieces in batches.
• Set aside and add the button onions and carrots to the pan. Cook for 5-10 minutes, until the vegetables are a light golden brown. Add the cinnamon and cook for a further minute.
• Add the chopped tomatoes, honey and stock, stirring well, and bring to the boil. Return the lamb to the pan, add the new potatoes and season to taste. Cover and cook in the oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes, until the lamb is tender.
• Remove from the oven, stir through the frozen peas and a little more stock if necessary. Cook for a further 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the chopped mint and serve.

Individual Shrewsbury lamb pies

Makes four individual pies or one large pie

Ingredients

• 600g lean lamb, diced
• 2 tbsp seasoned flour
• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 25g butter
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 150ml light red wine (Beaujolais or similar)
• 500ml lamb stock
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• A few sprigs of rosemary
• ½ tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• ½ tsp English mustard
• 2 tbsp redcurrant jelly
• 350g frozen peas
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Sea salt and black pepper

Pastry lids

• 500g ready-roll puff pastry
• Flour, to dust
• 1 egg, beaten

Method

• Preheat oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Place the diced lamb in a plastic bag with the seasoned flour and shake so the meat is coated well.
• Heat a large frying pan until very hot, add the oil and butter and fry the lamb and onion until all the pieces of lamb are browned. Don’t crowd the pan, cook in batches. Transfer to a casserole dish and set aside.
• Add the red wine and stock to the pan, bring to the boil, add the garlic, rosemary, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and redcurrant jelly and stir well. Add a little seasoning and transfer to the casserole dish.
• Stir all of the ingredients together, cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 60-75 minutes until just tender (if using a slow cooker, cook for about 7 hours).
• Meanwhile prepare the pastry lids; on a floured surface, roll the pastry to a thickness of 1cm and cut out the individual pie dish shape, place on a greased baking sheet, brush with the beaten egg to glaze.
• Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the pastry has risen and is golden brown.
• Remove the casserole dish from the oven and check the seasoning, add the peas and lemon juice, and stir well.
• Place on the hob and bring to boil for around 3 minutes, remove from the heat. If you are serving individual pies divide the lamb mixture between four warmed pie dishes and keep warm. When you are ready to serve, place the pastry lid on top of each of the pies.

Herb crusted rack of lamb with pea, mint and shallot sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 x 3-cutlet mini French trimmed racks of lamb
• 100g fine fresh breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 tbsp freshly chopped basil
• 1tsp freshly chopped rosemary
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 heaped tsp good quality Dijon mustard (1 per rack)
• 50g melted butter

For the sauce

• 50g butter
• 100g shallots, peeled and diced
• 350g frozen peas
• 100ml good vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp freshly chopped mint
• 1 tbsp double cream

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas mark 5.
• Place one tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan and heat. Seal the racks of lamb on all sides. Remove from the heat and place in a roasting tray.
• Mix the breadcrumbs and chopped herbs together with a little sea salt and black pepper. Spread each rack with 1 tsp of mustard and press plenty of the breadcrumb mix onto each rack. Melt the butter and the remaining olive oil and drizzle over the herb crusted meat.
• Place in the oven for 12-15 minutes. Turn the heat down to 160°C/Gas 3 and cook for a further 5-6 minutes. Allow to rest for approximately 5 minutes and serve with the pea purée.
• For the sauce, melt the butter in a frying pan and add the shallots. Fry for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat then add the frozen peas and coat in the butter and shallot mixture.
• Add the vegetable stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 3 minutes, remove from the heat and add the freshly chopped mint and the double cream.
• Place into a bowl and blend until chunky. Return to the pan and boil rapidly for a further minute, reducing any excess liquid.
• To serve, arrange a bed of sauce on four plates and top with the racks of lamb.

Indian shepherd’s pie

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 500g lamb mince
• 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 2cm fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 1 tbsp korma curry paste
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tomatoes, skinned and chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 150ml chicken stock
• Squeeze of lemon juice
• Sea salt and black pepper
• A handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped
• 300g frozen peas

For the potato topping

• 1kg floury potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 50g butter
• A little milk
• Sea salt and black pepper

Method

• Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6.
• Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion, garlic and ginger and fry over a medium heat until the onion is soft and just beginning to brown.
• Add the lamb, korma paste, cumin and mix with the onion mixture and fry for a further 30 seconds until lightly browned.
• Stir in the tomato, tomato purée and stock, lemon juice and season with sea salt and black pepper, cover and simmer for 30 minutes until the mixture has thickened but is still moist, add more stock if needed.
• Stir in the fresh coriander and peas and transfer to an ovenproof dish.
• Put the potatoes into a large pan of salted water, bring to the boil and simmer until tender.
• Drain the potatoes and mash them, return to the pan and add the butter and milk, season with sea salt and black pepper.
• Spoon the potato over the lamb mixture, bake for 30 minutes until golden brown.

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Recipes by Yes Peas