Recipes

Our Best Father’s Day Recipes

By Jonathan Hatchman, Food Editor, @TLE_Food

Braised and roasted Milk-fed Lamb with BBQ scented Hen of the Woods Mushrooms, Shallot and confit neck fillet, and Carrot puree by Michael Wignall, owner of Michael Wignall at The Latymer

Ingredients

  • Carrots, 500g (peeled and finely sliced)
  • Unsalted Butter, 80g (diced)
  • Vegetable Stock, 700ml
  • Sea Salt, 8g (preferably Malden or Anglesey)
  • Lamb neck fillet, 1
  • Carrot, ½, peeled
  • Celery, 1 stick
  • Small Shallot, 1, peeled
  • Garlic, 2 cloves, peeled
  • Leek, ¼ (white only)
  • Rosemary, 1 small sprig
  • Lamb Stock, 1 litre
  • Olive Oil, 30g
  • Best end of Lamb, 4, boned
  • Olive Oil, 20g
  • Unsalted Butter, 20g
  • Butchers’ string, 1 roll
  • Small Banana Shallots, 4
  • Thyme, 1 sprig
  • Olive Oil, 15g
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Hen of the Woods Mushroom, 1
  • Olive Oil, 10g
  • Unsalted Butter, 30g (diced)
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Kansas City BBQ sauce, 50g (ingredients below)
  • Ketchup, 250g
  • Tomato puree, 65g
  • Water, 65g
  • White Wine Vinegar, 65g
  • Brown Sugar, 35g
  • Black Pepper, 5g
  • Mustard Powder, 4g
  • Salt, 4g
  • Cayenne Pepper, 3g
  • Garlic, 1 bulb
  • Onion, ¼ (finely diced)
  • Cumin, 0.1g
  • Lemon, Juice of half
  • Ginger, 2g

For the Carrot Puree

  1. Add all ingredients to a heavy bottom pan, bring to the boil.
  2. Reduce to a light simmer. Cover with the lid. Allow to cook for 30 minutes or until the Carrots are completely soft.
  3. Slowly reduce until most of the liquid is gone to intensify the flavour.
  4. Transfer into a blender and blend until silky smooth.
  5. Pass through a fine sieve, adjust the seasoning and keep in a warm place until ready to serve.
  6. Alternatively, spread thinly onto a plastic tray and cool rapidly. This will store for up to one day in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

For the Confit Lamb Neck Fillet

  1. Double line a tray with cling-film. Seal the neck fillet until golden brown.
  2. Remove from the pan, add Vegetables and sweat off until light golden brown.
  3. Place fillet back into pan and cover with Stock. Add the Rosemary. Place into a pre-heated oven at 70 degrees Celsius for 6 hours or until soft.
  4. Leave to cool at room temperature, then take the fillet out of the liquor and break the Meat fibres up with the back of a spoon.
  5. Moisten with a little of the cooking liquor. Correct the seasoning.
  6. Place into your pre-lined tray and lightly press with a weight until set (approximately 3 hours).
  7. Reduce the cooking liquor to make your sauce.
  8. Once set, cut the pressing to the desired size (we recommend 8cm x 2cm) and pane in Flour, Egg and fine Breadcrumbs.
  9. This can be coloured off and then re-heated on a tray with the Shallots and Mushrooms just prior to service.

To serve

  1. Heat up a non-stick pan. Place a small amount of Oil into the pan.
  2. Lightly colour your pressing, cooking evenly on each side until light golden brown.
  3. Serve immediately.

For the Best End of Lamb

  1. Fully trim the Lamb, leaving 4 bones exposed and fully clean (your Butcher may be able to do this for you).
  2. Heat a frying pan with a small amount of Olive Oil. Place the rack skin side down and lightly season.
  3. After about one minute, you will see the fat starting to render down.
  4. Continue to do this until the fat is light golden brown.
  5. Keep draining away the fat so that the dry pan continues to render down the fat making it thin and crispy. This will take approximately 3 minutes of a medium heat.
  6. Turn the Lamb onto the flesh side and seal lightly.
  7. Remove the pan from the heat and place tin foil over the exposed bones.
  8. Roast in a pre-heated oven at 180c fat-side down for 6 minutes.
  9. Take out, turn over and leave to rest for 3 minutes.
  10. Then take off the tray and leave to rest for a further 3 minutes.
  11. Keep warm until ready to serve.
  12. Once the Shallots, Mushrooms and Puree are all warm, arrange on each plate and lastly carve the best end into four with a small amount of the reduced Stock over each best end.
  13. Serve immediately.

For the Roasted Shallots

  1. Place the Shallots with the skin left on, onto a baking tray with the Thyme and Olive Oil drizzled over the shallots.
  2. Pre-heat an oven to 170c and place the Shallots in this for approximately 40-50 minutes or until soft to touch.
  3. Allow to cool in the skin. Remove the first three layers.
  4. To serve, re-heat on a tray in the oven and brush with BBQ sauce.

For the Roasted Hen of the Woods Mushrooms

  1. Divide the Mushroom into 8.
  2. Heat a non-stick frying pan, then add the Oil.
  3. Place the Mushrooms flat side down and allow to cook for approximately 4-5 minutes, turning occasionally until golden in colour.
  4. Add the diced Butter to the remaining 2 minutes of cooking.
  5. Take out of the pan and lightly brush with BBQ sauce. Serve.

For the Kansas City BBQ Sauce

  1. Place all the ingredients into a heavy bottomed pan.
  2. Bring to a simmer and cook for approximately 20 minutes.
  3. Pass through a fine sieve.
  4. This sauce can be frozen into smaller batches and will keep for up to 2 months.

Mangsho Ghugni (Lamb Rump with Chickpeas) by Atul Kochhar – Head Chef and Owner of Benares, London

Mangsho means meat and generally meat for people of Hindu Bengali origin means goat (Paanther) meat. This is a very traditional recipe of meat curry though I have broken one tradition in this recipe instead of using diced meat I have used lamb rump. This only changes the appearance of the preparation but not the flavour profile.

Serves 4

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • Chickpeas, 150g, soaked in water overnight
  • Bay leaf, 1
  • Black Cardamom, 1
  • Clove, 1
  • Salt, 1tsp
  • Vegetable or Mustard Oil, 100ml
  • Cloves, 6
  • Bay leaves, 2
  • Black cardamom, 3
  • Onions, 200g, sliced
  • Ginger-Garlic paste, 15g
  • Coriander powder, 1tsp
  • Red Chilli powder, 1tsp
  • Cumin powder, 1tsp
  • Salt, 1tsp
  • Tomatoes, 200g, chopped
  • Lamb leg steaks, 4, (100 grams X 4)
  • Coriander leaves, 2tbsp, chopped
  • Garam masala, 1⁄2tsp, (Bengali)

To finish

  • Mixed Spices – Coriander seeds, Cumin seeds, Sesame seeds, Black Pepper, 2tbsp
  • Dijon Mustard, 1tbsp
  • Mixed Cress, for garnish

Method

  1. Soak Chickpeas in water and Salt overnight.
  2. Drain the water and start with fresh water and Spices and boil the Chickpeas until cooked. Set aside until required.
  3. In a separate pan heat Oil and sauté Cloves, Bay leaf & black Cardamom.
  4. Add sliced Onions and sauté till translucent, add Ginger-Garlic paste and cook well.
  5. Add dried powdered Spices, Tomatoes and Lamb steaks and add enough water to cover the mixture, cook till Lamb is tender. Add Chickpeas and simmer until Lamb is 3/4 cooked.
  6. Separate the rump from the Chickpeas. Brush the rump with Dijon Mustard paste and roll it over crackled-pounded spices.
  7. Roast in medium hot oven for 5-6 minutes and remove. Place Chickpeas and sit rump on top garnished with mixed Cress.
  8. Serve hot with some Rice or Bread.

Grilled Rib of Beef by Michel Roux Jr. – owner of Le Gavroche, London

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • Rib of Beef, 2 (about 350g each)
  • Olive Oil
  • Salt and Pepper
  1. There is no secret to a good rib of Beef: to me it’s obvious that you buy Beef from a small farm (not necessarily organic, although most are) that takes care of its animals and feeds and breeds them properly, then you have a good chance of enjoying a fine piece of meat. The meat should be well hung – four weeks in my view.
  2. Rub the trimmed ribs with a little Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper. Set the Meat on the grill over a medium heat. This is a thick cut of Meat so it needs to cook slowly. Turn so that it cooks and marks evenly. The beef should take 20mins for medium rare.
  3. Don’t forget to let it rest at least 10mins in a warm place before carving.

For the Béarnaise Sauce

Makes about 175ml

Ingredients

  • Unsalted Butter, 250g
  • Shallots, 2, finely chopped
  • Fresh Tarragon, 3tbsp, snipped
  • White Wine Vinegar or Tarragon Vinegar, 3tbsp
  • White Peppercorns, 1tbsp, crushed
  • Egg yolks, 4
  • Fresh Chervil, 2tbsp, snipped
  1. In a small saucepan, melt the Butter over low heat until it foams, spoons off the foam and leave the Butter to settle.
  2. Remove the Clarified Butter with a ladle; discard the whitish residue in the bottom of the pan.
  3. Put the Shallots in a shallow pan with the Tarragon, Vinegar, Pepper and 1tbsp of water, boil to reduce by half.
  4. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. When cold, add the Egg yolks and whisk in a double boiler (not too hot) until the yolks are light and creamy, 8-10mins. Do not let the mixture get too hot, otherwise the Eggs will scramble.
  5. Remove from the heat and whisking continuously; gently pour in the Clarified Butter.
  6. Season to taste and add the Chervil just before serving.

Spiced Lamb Burgers by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

“I do love a spicy Lamb Burger. Made with good meat, they can be incredibly tender, juicy and flavoursome. Over the years, I’ve enjoyed seasoning Lamb patties with various combinations of herbs and spices. This North African-inspired recipe is my current favourite and an absolute winner when the barbecue’s out.”

Makes 8

Ingredients

  • Cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon
  • Coriander seeds, 1 teaspoon
  • Fennel seeds, 1 teaspoon
  • Black Peppercorns, 1 teaspoon
  • Cinnamon stick, ½, broken up
  • Cayenne Pepper or Chilli powder, a pinch
  • Paprika, 3 tsp
  • Garlic clove, 1, finely crushed
  • Fine Sea Salt, 2 tsp
  • Minced Lamb shoulder, 1kg
  • Rapeseed or Olive Oil, A little

For the spiced Yoghurt

  • Cumin seeds, ½ tsp
  • Coriander seeds, ½ tsp
  • Greek Yoghurt, 200g
  • Garlic, a tiny scrap, crushed with a little sea salt
  • Mint leaves, 12, finely shredded
  • Sea Salt, a pinch
  • Sesame seeds, 1 tbsp

To serve

  • Flatbreads or Burger Buns
  • Cos Lettuce leaves, a few
  • Cucumber slices
  • Small red Onion, 1, very finely sliced
  1. In a dry frying pan, toast the Cumin, Coriander and Fennel seeds, Peppercorns and Cinnamon, until fragrant, for about a minute or so. (You don’t have to toast the spices, but it does get the flavours going.) Grind to a fine powder using a pestle and mortar or spice grinder, then combine with the Cayenne or Chilli powder, Paprika, Garlic and Salt. Add the minced Lamb and mix thoroughly with your hands. Leave for at least an hour for the flavours to develop.
  2. Meanwhile, for the spiced Yoghurt, toast the Cumin and Coriander seeds in the pan you used for the Burger spices. Grind to a fine powder using a pestle and mortar, then stir into the Greek Yoghurt with the Garlic, Mint and Salt. Toast the Sesame seeds in the same pan over a medium heat until golden, rattling as you go, for a minute or two. Leave to cool down a bit, then sprinkle over the Yoghurt.
  3. Break off a small piece of the spiced Lamb, about the size of a Walnut, and fry it until well cooked. Taste and adjust the seasonings if necessary. Shape the rest of the Meat into 8 patties about 2cm thick. Lightly brush with Oil, then place on a barbecue over a high heat. Or, if you’re cooking indoors, use a lightly oiled, heavy-based frying pan set over a medium-high heat. The cooking time will be determined by the thickness of the Burger, the heat of the grill and your preference. For a medium-rare Burger, you will probably need to grill for 3–4 minutes, then flip it over and cook the other side for a couple of minutes. Leave the Burgers to rest for a few minutes while you cook or warm up your Flatbreads.
  4. Serve the Lamb Burgers wrapped in the soft Flatbreads with some torn Lettuce, Cucumber and Onion and a dollop of the spiced Yoghurt. You probably won’t need all of the Yoghurt – what’s left over makes a great dip.

Adapted from ‘River Cottage Everyday’, Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2009. Fancy taking things that one step further? Why not sign up for one of the great courses on offer at River Cottage’s Chef’s School?


Spring Lamb, Cous Cous, charred baby Artichokes, Caper & Anchovy sauce by Will Stayner, Heaf Chef at Gordon Ramsay’s York & Albany, London

  • Lamb rump, 200g
  • Lamb belly, 1
  • Cous Cous, 100g
  • Lamb Stock, 3 litres
  • Vegetable Stock, 750ml
  • White Wine, 100ml
  • Mint, 1/2 bunch
  • Parsley, 1/2 bunch
  • Rosemary, 1/2 bunch
  • Garlic, 1 head
  • Lemon, 1
  • Carrots, 2
  • Onions, 2
  • Orange, 1
  • Baby Artichoke, 1
  • Baby Courgette, 1
  • Lilliput Capers, 1tsp
  • Anchovy fillets, 2
  • Lamb jus, 250ml
  • Panko Bread crumbs

For the Lamb belly

  1. Make a Gremolata crumb by blending toasted Panko Bread crumbs with Parsley, Orange and Lemon Zest. Generously season the Lamb belly, then roll and tie with butchers’ string.
  2. Braise in a pan with 2.5 litres of the Lamb Stock, Rosemary, Garlic, Onions and Carrots until tender – around 3 hours.
  3. Allow to cool slightly, untie the Lamb and roll tightly in cling film.
  4. Chill over night.
  5. Portion when chilled, brush one side with Dijon Mustard and top with the Gremolata crumb, ready to warm through an oven for service.

For the Artichokes & Courgettes

  1. Trim, peel and braise the baby artichokes with Veg Stock, Olive Oil and White Wine until tender.
  2. Chill immediately, then cut in half ready to be charred.
  3. Slice the baby Courgettes in half, length ways, and season together with the artichokes with Salt, Pepper and Olive Oil.
  4. Place the Vegetables, flat side down in a searing hot pan to form a nice char.
  5. Transfer to a tray and finish cooking under a grill if necessary.
  6. Keep warm, ready to serve.

For the Cous Cous

  1. Boil the remaining Lamb Stock and pour over the Cous Cous, just covering it.
  2. Cling film the Cous Cous and set aside for 10-15 minutes.
  3. Season with the chopped Mint, Lemon juice and Salt.
  4. Add a squeeze of Olive Oil and loosen the Cous Cous with a fork so it is light & fluffy.

For the Lamb & sauce

  1. Trim any excess fat off the Lamb and season well.
  2. Sear the Lamb in a medium/hot pan and roast in the oven with Butter and Rosemary until pink (Around 6 minutes, 190 degrees Celsius.)
  3. Remove from the pan and allow to rest in a warm place for 8 minutes.
  4. Warm through the Lamb sauce and add the chopped Anchovy fillets, Capers and chopped Parsley.

To Assemble

  1. To assemble the dish, place the warm Cous Cous on the plate, thinly slice the Lamb rump against the grain and place on top of the Cous Cous.
  2. Carefully place the Lamb belly alongside it and criss-cross the Vegetables to garnish.
  3. Finish with the Caper & Anchovy sauce and a drizzle of Olive Oil.

Roasted Rump of New Season’s Lamb, Borlotti Beans, Mousseron, Wild Garlic & Almond Pesto, by Tommy Boland – Head Chef at Almeida.

For the Lamb shoulder

  • Bone in Lamb shoulder, 2kg
  • Coarse Salt, 300g
  • Rosemary, 4 sprigs
  • Thyme, 12 sprigs
  • Bay leaves, 4
  • Black Peppercorns, 50g
  • Garlic, 2 cloves
  • Sugar, 80g
  • Saltpeter, 4g
  • Chicken Stock, 300ml
  • Dijon Mustard

For the Borlotti Beans

  • Fresh Borlotti Beans, 500g
  • Lamb Stock (or good Chicken stock), 3 litres
  • Garlic, 4 cloves, crushed
  • Thyme, 8 sprigs
  • Plum Tomatoes, 2
  • Good Olive Oil, 200ml

For the Wild Garlic and Almond Pesto

  • Fresh Green Almonds, 12, shell and husk removed
  • Fresh Wild Garlic Leaves, 100g
  • Parmesan, 20g
  • Grape Seed Oil, 80 ml

For the Wild Garlic and Almond Pesto

  1. Coarsely mix all the ingredients apart from the Lamb, Chicken Stock and Mustard in a food processor. Rub the mix over the shoulder and cover with cling film. Brine in the fridge for 12 hours.
  2. Remove the Lamb from the fridge and wipe off the Salt mix with a damp cloth. Place in a roasting tray with 300ml of Chicken Stock and cover with foil. Bake in the oven at 120c for 6 to 8 hours until the meat is soft. Allow to cool to room temperature.

For the rolled Lamb shoulder

  1. When the shoulder of Lamb has cooled to room temperature and can be touched without burning you, pick the Meat from the bone. When all the Meat has been picked place his in a large bowl and add half of the cooking juices from the tray back into the Meat via a fine sieve. To this add Dijon Mustard and Salt to taste.
  2. On a damp surface roll out 3 sheets of tin foil, one on top of the other and flatten to remove air and creases using a kitchen cloth. Pile the Meat mixture in a long Sausage shape and tightly roll to make a Ballotine.
  3. Chill this and then cut into 2 inch rounds.

For the Borlotti Beans

  1. The recipe calls for fresh Beans, however dry Beans can be used. If using dried Beans soak for 24 hours in cold water before following the below method and allow extra time for them to become soft!
  2. Bring the Beans to the boil in the Stock and with a ladle remove any impurities of froth that rise.
  3. Once this is done, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and add the aromats. Gently simmer until the Beans have just a slight bite. Remove from the heat and add the Olive Oil and season to taste. When cool remove the aromats and discard.

For the Wild Garlic and Almond Pesto

  1. In a large pan of boiling water cook 80g of Garlic leaves for 30 seconds then refresh immediately in ice cold water.
  2. When cold remove and squeeze out any excess water. Place this into a food processor with the raw leaves, Nuts, Parmesan and Oil.
  3. Coarse blend and season with salt

To finish

  • Lamb shoulder roulades, 2
  • Olive Oil, for frying
  • Fresh Mushrooms, 50g, washed
  • Cooked Borlotti Beans, 100 g
  • Butter, 20g
  • Wild Garlic and Almond Pesto
  • Borlotti Bean cooking Stock
  • Wild Garlic leaves, a few, washed

Method

  1. In a hot pan add a little Oil and caramelise the cut sides of the Lamb rounds. When caramelised remove from the pan and place on an ovenproof tray into a pre heated oven at 180c until hot through.
  2. In a separate pan melt the Butter and gently cook the Mushrooms, without frying, with Salt until soft. Add the Beans and a little Stock to create an emulsion. Finish with the Pesto and a few Wild Garlic leaves. Check seasoning.
  3. Dress this into a bowl and place the hot Lamb shoulder roulade on the top.

Gae Yang (Grilled Rack of Lamb with special homemade sauce) from Mango Tree

Ingredients

  • Lemon grass
  • Lam leaf
  • Coriander
  • Oyster sauce
  • Plum sugar
  • Oyster Mushroom
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Leaf salad
  • Chilli oil
  • Chilli powder
  • Tamarind
  • Rack of Lamb, 8 (3 pieces to serve 1)

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180c.
  2. For the marinade, mix together Lemongrass, Lam leaf, Coriander, crushed black Pepper, Oyster sauce and Plum Sugar.
  3. Coat the Lamb until they are fully covered in the sauce.
  4. Grill the Lamb, turning over until each side is brown. To cook to medium texture inside, place in the preheated oven at 180c for 4 minutes. For the full 8 rack, 15 minutes will be needed.
  5. While Lamb is cooking mix together a spicy Lime sauce to drizzle over the Lamb rack. You will need Tamarind, Lime juice, Chilli Oil and Chilli powder. Cook in a small saucepan to make sauce a bit thicker.
  6. Mix up the leaf salad and place in plate, then add the 3 Lamb pieces closely together. Add Oyster Mushrooms and Cherry Tomatoes for garnish and drizzle spicy Lime juice on top.
  7. Best served hot!

Jon Hatchman

Jonathan is Food Editor for The London Economic. Jonathan has run and contributed towards a number of blogs, and has written features for publications such as Eater London, The Guardian, i News, The Independent, GQ, Time Out London and more.

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