Love Lamb Week: Some tasty treats to add to your table this weekend

The week-long campaign which runs from September 1 to 7, will again be emphasising the nutritional benefits of lamb and it's unique role in sustainable meat production.

Love Lamb Week was set up in 2015 by the late Rachel Lumley, a passionate Cumbrian sheep farmer who wanted lamb to get the attention it deserves. Through her leadership, as well as solid external support, Love Lamb Week has caught the attention of top chefs from across the world, as well as national press and broadcast media.

The week-long celebration will focus on highlighting the fantastic quality, taste and nutritional benefits of lamb, plus its unique role in sustainable meat production. The campaign will also introduce the second phase of the successful joint QMS, HCC and AHDB ‘Make it Lamb’ campaign, which will run until October, 26.

Here we bring you some of the new tasty treats using lamb from QMS' team of chefs, while we also include some delicious lamb dishes from Ann Redpath's 'Lockdown in Lambing' recipe book and memories. The book which was created during the Covid-19 lockdown and for many, during lambing, is based on dishes created using a few staple ingredients. Many have been also been contributed from friends, neighbours and family, with the book now selling for charity in aid of the NHS staff by raising money for The Difference at The Borders General Hospital and to support RHET.

The email address for ordering is lockdownrecipebook@gmail.com

Stuffed half leg of Scotch Lamb (from QMS)

Serves 6

Prep time: 30 mins

Cooking time:

Medium: 25 minutes per 450g plus 25 mins

Well done: 30 minutes per 450g plus 30 mins

Ingredients:

For the stuffing:

1 tablespoon Scottish rapeseed oil

2 onions, peeled and chopped

100g sourdough breadcrumbs, or similar

80g stoned dates, roughly chopped

50g walnuts, roughly chopped

Salt and black pepper

For the Scotch lamb leg:

1kg half leg of Scotch Lamb, bone removed or butterflied– ask your butcher to bone or butterfly this for you

1 tablespoon Scottish rapeseed oil

For the butternut squash purée:

500g butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into 1cm cubes

1 low salt lamb stock cube

600ml water

To serve:

200g kale

200g tenderstem broccoli

1 tablespoon Scottish rapeseed oil

Method

1. For the stuffing, heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium and fry the onions until soft and lightly coloured. Remove from the pan and cool for 5 minutes.

2. In a medium bowl add the breadcrumbs, dates and walnuts, add the cooled, cooked onions and mix well. Season to taste.

3. For the lamb, place the lamb on a chopping board, skin-side down. Spoon the stuffing down the centre of the lamb and fold over to encase the stuffing. Tie at 2cm intervals with butcher’s string and re-weigh the joint. Preheat the oven to 180-190°C, 160-170°C fan, Gas Mark 4-5.

4. Transfer to a foil-lined roasting tray, drizzle with the oil, rub gently over the lamb and season. Roast in the oven for the preferred, calculated cooking time. Remove from the oven, cover and set aside to rest.

5. For butternut squash purée, place the butternut squash, stock cube and water in a pan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15 minutes until the squash is soft. Strain the squash, but retain the stock. Place the squash in a blender and purée with a small amount of the retained stock to achieve a smooth texture.

6. While the squash is cooking, place the kale and broccoli in a bowl, drizzle with oil, season and mix gently until coated. Separate onto two baking trays and roast in the oven for 7-8 minutes or until the kale is crisp and the broccoli is soft. Remove and set aside.

7. Slice the lamb, divide the squash purée between warm serving plates, top with the greens and the lamb slices. Finish with a drizzle of the roasting juices and serve.

Tip:

Store any cooled leftovers in an airtight container and enjoy the following day, but, reheat until piping hot throughout.

Scotch Lamb filo parcels (from QMS)

Serves 4

Prep time: 30 mins

Cooking time: 50 mins

Ingredients:

For the mince filling:

250g lean Scotch Lamb mince

1 tablespoon Scottish rapeseed oil

2 onions, peeled and finely diced

2 teaspoons ras el hanout

4 teaspoons tomato purée

1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes

100g dried couscous

100g spinach leaves

40g sultanas

100g feta cheese, cut into 1cm cubes

Salt and black pepper

Small bunch freshly chopped parsley

For the aubergine dip:

1 medium aubergine, halved

1 tablespoon Scottish rapeseed oil

100g low fat yoghurt

Small handful roughly chopped fresh mint leaves

For the filo pastry:

8 sheets of filo pastry

25g butter, melted

Pinch of ground cinnamon

30g flaked almonds

Method

For the mince filling:

1. Heat the oil in a non-stick heavy bottomed pan fry the onion for a few minutes until soft, without colouring. Add the ras el hanout and cook for one minute.

2. Add the Scotch Lamb and cook for 5 minutes until brown. Add the tomato purée and cook for a further minute. Add the chopped tomatoes and simmer for 20 minutes.

3. Add the couscous, spinach and sultanas. Mix well and remove from the heat. Cover and allow to stand for 6 minutes to allow the couscous to swell.

4. Fluff the mixture up using a fork and fold in the feta cheese. Season and add the parsley.

For the aubergine dip:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, 180°C Fan, Gas Mark 6

2. Cut the aubergine in half, season and drizzle with oil. Position the two aubergine halves back together, wrap in foil and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

3. Remove the aubergine from the foil and scoop out the flesh with a large spoon. Transfer to a preheated frying pan and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes until the excess moisture has evaporated.

4. Blitz the aubergine in a blender with the yoghurt and herbs. Season to taste.

For the parcels:

1. Lay one filo pastry sheet on a chopping board with the short side nearest to you and brush with the melted butter. Cover the remaining pastry with a damp tea towel to keep moist.

2. Place 110g of filling onto the pastry and fold over making sure the edges are sealed well with the butter. Repeat with the remaining mixture using a new sheet of filo pastry for each parcel to make eight parcels.

3. Place each parcel on a baking tray and brush the tops with the melted butter.

4. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon and flaked almonds. Bake at 180°C, 160°C fan, Gas Mark 4 for 15 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and golden. Serve with the dip.

Tip: If you can't find ras el hanout seasoning, make your own by blending one teaspoon ground paprika, one teaspoon ground ginger, one teaspoon ground cumin and one teaspoon saffron threads.

Scotch Lamb dhansak (from QMS)

Serves 4

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

400g boneless Scotch Lamb shoulder, trimmed of fat and cut into cubes

1 tablespoon Scottish rapeseed oil

2 onions, peeled and thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

70g fresh root ginger, peeled and finely grated

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground paprika

1 whole cinnamon stick

3 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped

30g tomato purée

2 400g cans chopped tomatoes

700ml water

200ml reduced fat coconut milk

150g dried red lentils

50g chana dal lentils (or can be substituted for red lentils)

Large handful freshly chopped coriander

Juice of 2 limes

For the mint kefir:

200ml kefir (can be substituted by low fat yoghurt)

Small handful fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped

To serve:

2 small plain naan breads

Method:

1. For the Scotch lamb dhansak, heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and fry the onions, garlic and ginger until soft and lightly coloured.

2. Add the spices and chilli. Cook for 1 minute.

3. Add lamb, stirring to coat well with the spices. Cook for 4-5 until brown. Add tomato purée and cook for a further minute.

4. Add chopped tomatoes, 200ml water and the coconut milk. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 1hr 15 minutes.

5. Add lentils and the remaining water. Cook for a further 30 minutes. As the lentils cook they will absorb the liquid. If the mixture looks too dry add a little more water. The curry is ready when the lentils are soft and the lamb is tender and soft.

6. Remove the whole cinnamon stick and garnish with the coriander and lime.

7. For the mint kefir, whizz together the kefir and mint, in a blender or food processor.

8. Divide the curry between the serving bowls. Place the naans and kefir in the middle of the table to share and serve.

Tip: For additional heat, retain the chilli seeds in the fresh chillies.

Lamb cobbler (from Anne Redpath)

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped,

250g minced lamb,

400g can chopped tomatoes,

1tbs tomato puree,

1tsp mixed herbs.

Dumpling topping

150g self-raising flour,

100g suet,

pinch salt,

1tsp dried basil or coriander,

125ml water.

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan, 200°C, GM 6. Heat a little oil in a pan and fry the onion until soft. Add the mince and cook until the meat is no longer pink. Add the tinned tomatoes, herbs, tomato puree and season with salt and pepper. Stir well and simmer for five mins. Transfer to a casserole dish.

To make the dumpling top, put flour, suet, salt and herbs in a bowl and stir well. Add the water slowly until it makes a soft ball, turn out onto a floured board and form a ball. Cut into six pieces and form each into a ball. Gently place them on the top of the meat mixture and brush the top with beaten egg or milk. Bake for 25-30 mins, or until the crust is browned.

Lamb, spinach and cashew curry (from Anne Redpath)

Ingredients

50g cashew nuts,

1tsp yellow mustard seeds,

1 onion, halved and sliced,

2 green chillies sliced,

2 tbsp finely grated ginger,

2 cloves garlic crushed,

good pinch red chilli flakes,

1 tsp ground cumin,

2 tsp ground coriander,

2 tsp ground turmeric,

500g Scotch Lamb leg steaks,

400g tin half fat coconut milk,

200ml chicken stock,

150g chopped spinach.

Put cashew nuts in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Heat 1tbs oil in a frying pan, then add the mustard and cumin seeds and cook for a few minutes until they start to pop! Add the onion, green chillies and a good pinch of salt and fry until softened. Add the ginger, garlic, chilli flakes and the rest of the spices and cook for a couple of minutes.

Stir in the lamb steaks and fry, stirring for a few minutes until they are browned all over. Drain the cashew nuts and whizz in a blender with the coconut milk. Pour into the pan with the lamb and add the chicken stock. Cover and simmer for one-hour, or until the lamb is tender. Add the spinach and cook for another 10minutes. If you like a thicker sauce, turn up the heat. Serve with rice and naan bread.

Lamb cassoulet (from Ena Mitchell)

Ingredients

350g lean lamb, cubed,

100g mixed beans (red kidney beans, cannellini beans, haricot beans, black eyed beans),

400g can chopped tomatoes,

2tsp tomato puree,

2 cloves garlic, crushed,

100g frozen baby carrots,

1tbsp dried rosemary.

Oven: 160°C. Place the lamb and garlic in a two-litre flame-proof casserole dish. Dry fry the lamb over a moderate heat for five minutes to seal, stirring constantly. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, 1tsp sugar to balance acidity, carrots, rosemary and beans.

Gently bring to the boil, cover and simmer for five minutes then transfer to a preheated oven for one hour. Blend 15g cornflour with 50ml cold water and stir thoroughly into the cassoulet. Return to the oven for 20 minutes.

Season to taste before serving with potatoes or crusty bread.