Ingredients

• 675g shoulder of lamb
• 4 tablesp. plain flour
• Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
• 1 teasp. chopped fresh thyme
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 1 large leek, sliced
• 2 large carrots, sliced
• 100g swede, cut into cubes
• About 600ml chicken stock
• Dash of Worcestershire sauce
• 675g even-sized potatoes
• 40g butter
• Chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

To Cook

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4, 180ºC (350ºF). Trim the lamb very well and cut into bite-sized pieces. Place the flour in a shallow dish and season generously, then use to coat the lamb. Arrange half of the lamb in the bottom of a round dish and add a sprinkling of thyme. Scatter the onion, leek, carrots and swede on top, then season and add another sprinkling of thyme. Arrange the remaining lamb on top to cover the vegetables completely and sprinkle over the remaining thyme.

Pour enough chicken stock to just come up above the last layer of lamb. Cover the casserole with a lid and place in the oven for about 1 hour until the lamb and vegetables are just tender and the stock has thickened slightly.

• 1-1½ kg neck or shoulder of lamb
• Bouquet of parsley, thyme and bayleaf (tied together with twine)
• 3 large onions, finely chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3-4 carrots, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1 small turnip, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• Some small new potatoes, peeled and quartered, or large potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 75-100g cabbage, shredded
• Finely chopped parsley and dash of Worcester Sauce

 Serves 4-6

To Cook

Method

Remove the meat from the bone, trim off all the fat and cut into cubes.  Keep the bones, place the meat in a pot, cover with cold salted water.  Bring to the boil, drain and rinse the lamb.

In a fresh pot put the meat, bones, bouquet of herbs, onions, seasoning, carrots, leeks and turnip and cover with water. Simmer gently for one hour.  Skim off the foam as it rises.  (this is very important for the final flavour and appearance of the stew.)  Add the potatoes and continue cooking for 25 minutes.  For the last 5 minutes add in the cabbage.  When the meat and vegetables are cooked remove the bones and bouquet for herbs.  Stir in the chopped parsley and a dash of Worcester sauce.  Serve in deep bowls with soda bread.

Ingredients

1 large potato, peeled and grated

1 large onion, peeled and grated

500 g/1 lb lamb, minced 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (optional)

salt and pepper 1 egg, beaten 1 cup fresh herbs such as

parsley, coriander, tarragon

and mint 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1⁄2 cup olive oil

Serves 6

To Cook

Rinse the grated potato in cold water and with your hands squeeze out all the moisture. Place all the ingredients except the oil into a bowl and mix until well combined. Form the mixture into small balls and flatten them into pattie shapes. Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the meatballs in batches for about 5 minutes on each side, turning carefully.

Ingredients

1 large potato, peeled and grated

1 large onion, peeled and grated

500 g/1 lb lamb, minced 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (optional)

salt and pepper 1 egg, beaten 1 cup fresh herbs such as

parsley, coriander, tarragon

and mint 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1⁄2 cup olive oil

Serves 6

To Cook

Rinse the grated potato in cold water and with your hands squeeze out all the moisture. Place all the ingredients except the oil into a bowl and mix until well combined. Form the mixture into small balls and flatten them into pattie shapes. Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the meatballs in batches for about 5 minutes on each side, turning carefully.

Ingredients

1.5 kg/3 lb shoulder of lamb 2 cloves of garlic, peeled

and crushed finely grated zest of 1 lemon 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons ground

coriander 1 teaspoon paprika salt and freshly ground

black pepper

Serves 6

To Cook

Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/gas mark 2.

Remove the lamb from the fridge and wipe it with a paper towel. Combine all the other ingredients to make a paste and rub it over the lamb. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours but preferably overnight.

Put the lamb in a roasting pan, add 1 cup of water and cover with aluminium foil. Place in the oven and cook for 3 hours. Reduce the temperature to 120°C/250°F/gas mark 1 and cook for a further 3 hours. When cooked, let the meat stand for at least 10 minutes. Shred the meat with a fork.

Serve on a bed of mashed potato.

Ingredients

• 1 leg of lamb, boned, opened out flat and trimmed, roughly 4-5cm thick
• 4 tablesp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon
• 2 fresh rosemary stalks, leaves stripped
• 3 large garlic cloves, cut into slivers
• Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and cubed
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 6 ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 50g wild rocket leaves
• Small handful fresh mint leaves

To Cook

Cooking time: 50 minutes

Method

Place the lamb in a large non-metallic dish and drizzle over half the olive oil, then pare the lemon rind on top. Scatter over the rosemary and garlic slivers. Season generously and turn over a couple of times until the marinade ingredients are evenly distributed. Cover with clingfilm and set aside for 2 hours to allow the flavours to combine or overnight in the fridge is even better.

Light a barbecue or preheat the oven to Gas mark 7, 220ºC(450ºF). If the lamb has been chilled overnight, bring it back to room temperature. If cooking it in the oven place it, skin-side up, on a rack in a large roasting tin and season with salt. Roast the lamb for 35 minutes for medium rare. If you don’t like your lamb tto pink cook on for another 10 minutes. Alternatively barbecue the lamb for about 40 minutes for medium rare, turning occasionally.

To make the salad, place the cucumber, red onion and tomatoes in a large bowl. Fold in the rocket and tear in the mint leaves. Season to taste and then dress with the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil and a good squeeze of lemon juice.

When the lamb is cooked, transfer to a warm dish, then leave to rest in a warm place for 10 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

Carve into slices and arrange on plates with the summer salad and some boiled new potatoes to serve.

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

• 1 leg of lamb, trimmed
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• Few sprigs of rosemary
• 2 onions, roughly chopped
• 1 head of garlic
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed to a paste with some salt
• The rind of 1 orange
• 2 tablesp. runny honey
• 2 tablesp olive oil
• Glass of white wine

Port and Mint Dressing

• 4 tablesp. redcurrant jelly
• Juice of 1 orange
• Dash of port
• Few sprigs of mint

Method

To cook, set the oven 200°C (400°F) Gas Mark 6.

Make about 10 incisions in the lamb with a sharp knife. Push a sliver of garlic and a sprig of rosemary into each hole. Place the lamb in a roasting tray with some chopped onions and a head of garlic cut in half. Mix together the crushed garlic, orange rind, honey and olive oil. Spread the mixture over the lamb. Place in the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Then add the glass of wine and a glass of water, this will stop the honey from burning. Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C (350°F) Gas Mark 4 and continue the cooking for another hour for pink lamb. Rest for 15 minutes before serving.

When the lamb is cooked remove from the roasting tray and strain the juices, keep the garlic to serve with the lamb. To the juices, add another dash of wine and a tablesp. of redcurrant jelly. Boil it up to make a jus, finish with a knob of butter and taste for seasoning.

To make the dressing, gently heat the redcurrant jelly, orange juice, port and mint. Add a little lemon juice if you think it is too sweet. Serve warm with the sliced lamb.

Serving Suggestions

Boulangère Potatoes are very good with the roast lamb and can be cooked in the oven at the same time. Simply layer some thinly sliced potatoes in a baking dish with thinly sliced onions which have first been sautéed in a knob of butter. Add seasoning and a few more knobs of butter as you do the layers. Finish off with some chicken stock and a sprinkling of Regatto cheese. Bake for 40-50 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the topping is golden and crispy.

While I understand the need for these analogies and see how they may simplify an understanding of food and health for the masses, I also find myself irritated by them.  Food is so much more than just mere fuel.  I don’t agonise over what kind of petrol to put in my car.  I pull up at the pump, pour it in and pay.  It is a joyless but necessary transaction and one that I don’t really have an opinion on.  I don’t look forward to the event with anticipation like I would if it were fuel for my body.  I don’t take my time and slowly pour the petrol in just to enjoy the experience more.  I don’t call my friends and invite them to come and share the occasion of the insertion of fuel.  And, unlike excellent restaurants, if I’ve been to a particularly good petrol station (one that’s nicely laid out, clean and efficient perhaps) I don’t tend to tell everyone about it and recommend it as the ‘best place to buy fuel’.  I don’t get excited at the thought of a return visit or idle some thoughts wondering if the next time I go will I try a little diesel perhaps or maybe a new brand of engine oil rather than just my usual fill of plain unleaded petrol!    

Of course we need food for nourishment but there is so much more to it.  There are the huge social and cultural aspects that we attach to its gathering, preparation and consumption.  From the simplest breaking of bread together as a family to marvellous formal affairs, they all have food at the centre.  From christenings to funerals, food is involved.   Indeed if food was merely fuel why even have the ritual of sitting to a wedding feast after the ceremony? If it was just energy we needed for the party then we should just hand our guests a can of red bull and tell them to sit for a few minutes before the band starts.    

Food is also used as both reward and punishment.  How many spouses have closed up the kitchen as a result of a row?  How many spouses have been punished for tardiness by finding their dinners in the dog bowl?  How many children have been bribed with sweets in order to behave here or there?  And how many couples have enjoyed getting to know each other over food?  There would be fewer customers in restaurants if people the world over weren’t constantly wooed over fancy meals and many relationships have been cemented on the culinary skills of one or other partner.  Even in the movies if someone is to be executed we know they get to choose their last meal; now that’s purely for pleasure as they won’t need the energy where they’re going.  The smell of certain foods can trigger memories both wonderful and painful and so again we see the inherent power of food as more than just mere fuel.  If we weren’t meant to enjoy food on this greater level then there would have been no need for the variety and abundance of food that exists and certainly little point in having taste buds.         

What we do with food can endear us to people or even offend.  It’s not right to judge but if we are honest we sometimes weigh people up in food situations.  We observe their food manners and form a particular view on how they use their cutlery.  We can even form negative opinions when they don’t stick to the same rules that we have.    That first meal with the parents of a new partner can be very tricky.  It is subconsciously laced with many traps and mines.  Being unaware of one or two rules of food etiquette could instantly jeopardise your future relationship with these people.  Of course we all publicly pretend that this is not the case.  We would never admit to being so narrow minded, but ask yourself privately if you have ever formed an opinion on someone over how they put the fuel in.  Then ask if you have ever judged someone socially by how they stand when filling petrol into their car on a forecourt!  No, neither have I.   As children the houses we enjoy the most are the ones with overflowing fridges and Mammies that offer us goodies.  Children couldn’t care less about your décor but empty foodless cupboards can leave an indelible mark on them. 

Food etiquette and manners can be the source of great diplomatic faux pas.  Offering the wrong type of food to people of certain religious persuasions can be considered highly offensive and insulting.  And yet food is also a great leveller in that who would refuse a gift of food?  On one occasion when I was invited to a party I knew that everyone, being polite, would bring a gift.  Predictably these were in the main wine and flowers.  I pushed the boundary and brought rashers, sausages, eggs a pint of milk and other breakfast stuff.  My unusual gift surprised but genuinely thrilled my hosts; mission accomplished.  When we find ourselves with a gift dilemma the obvious answer is always a food hamper or a meal voucher.

Food is an integral part of the human experience and maybe we have overcomplicated it with all the ‘stuff’; the infinite amount of gadgets, accessories, utensils and tableware but even without the bells and whistles it is still much more than just mere fuel.   It remains one of our greatest pleasures and we should never take the variety we enjoy and its abundance for granted.  Food is a blessing and often how we bless others and it should be respected as such.  Now, what am I going to have for my lunch?

I always welcome your comments and feedback at pat@jameswhelanbutchers.com

Butterflied leg of lamb

Ingredients

• 1 leg of lamb, boned, opened out flat and trimmed, roughly 4-5cm thick
• 4 tablesp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon
• 2 fresh rosemary stalks, leaves stripped
• 3 large garlic cloves, cut into slivers
• Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and cubed
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 6 ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 50g wild rocket leaves
• Small handful fresh mint leaves 

To Cook

Cooking time: 50 minutes 

Method

Place the lamb in a large non-metallic dish and drizzle over half the olive oil, then pare the lemon rind on top. Scatter over the rosemary and garlic slivers. Season generously and turn over a couple of times until the marinade ingredients are evenly distributed. Cover with clingfilm and set aside for 2 hours to allow the flavours to combine or overnight in the fridge is even better.

Light a barbecue or preheat the oven to Gas mark 7, 220ºC(450ºF). If the lamb has been chilled overnight, bring it back to room temperature. If cooking it in the oven place it, skin-side up, on a rack in a large roasting tin and season with salt. Roast the lamb for 35 minutes for medium rare. If you don’t like your lamb tto pink cook on for another 10 minutes. Alternatively barbecue the lamb for about 40 minutes for medium rare, turning occasionally.

To make the salad, place the cucumber, red onion and tomatoes in a large bowl. Fold in the rocket and tear in the mint leaves. Season to taste and then dress with the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil and a good squeeze of lemon juice.

When the lamb is cooked, transfer to a warm dish, then leave to rest in a warm place for 10 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

Carve into slices and arrange on plates with the summer salad and some boiled new potatoes to serve.

One of nature’s best offerings has to be honey.   Any time I see one of those ridiculously tiny pots of honey in hotels or guest houses I am instantly reminded of Chic Murray’s now infamous comment.  On being presented at breakfast with one of these miniature jars he hilariously said to the landlady, “Oh, I see you keep a bee.” 

I have just put down a new study on the benefits of honey and after reading quite a number of pages of detailed information I can condense it down to this, good honey is just very good for you!  Raw honey is of course the ultimate, but unlike Chic Murray’s landlady, few of us are keeping our own bee these days so we are dependent on local producers for their integrity.  Fortunately Tipperary’s honey producers are particularly good so if you buy local you’ll be fine.

Honey, that rich, golden liquid is nothing short of a miraculous feat of genius by those tiny little creatures. The process begins when the bees feast on flowers, collecting the flower nectar in their mouths. The collected nectar then mixes with special enzymes in the bees’ saliva.  On returning to the hive they deposit the mixture into the cells in the hive’s walls.  The collective fluttering of wings within the hive provides the necessary ventilation to reduce the moisture content making it ready for consumption.  When you stand back and watch nature at work on this level it makes all man made processes look clumsy and inadequate.  The elegant and magical process of making honey is truly remarkable.

Raw honey offers active enzymes, vitamins and trace amounts of minerals such as silica, copper, magnesium, iron and others.   Ancient peoples in Spain, India and Egypt knew that honey supplied a unique richness of nutrients. They didn’t squeeze their honey from plastic containers or scoop it out of jars; they ate their honey freshly harvested from local bee hives. They thoroughly understood the medicinal benefits of raw honey far better than we do today.  When Jesus Christ walked the earth honey was one of the premier medicines of the time.  Raw honey was used for sinus problems, rheumatism, arthritis, poor circulation, infectious diseases and topically for a whole host of other problems. 

Raw honey contains bee pollen which has many benefits including allergy relief, detoxification, anti-cancer properties, increased energy, amino acids, vitamins and thousands of beneficial enzymes.   Propolis, a material that bees use for constructing their hives, is another beneficial part of raw honey.   Propolis is believed to have antioxidant and even anti-cancer properties and is said to boost the immune system and improve the health of the liver as well. Most health food shops sell a propolis tablet as a natural antibiotic.

Like everything these days you need to pay close attention to the labels to make sure you are getting quality honey.  It should be completely unprocessed and unheated as the valuable enzymes in honey are preserved only if the honey is never heated above 105 degrees.  (Although purists claim that for honey to be truly raw, it should never be heated at all.)   For that reason raw honey should only be added to foods after they have been cooked and never before, since any exposure to heat risks destroying the beneficial nutrients.  If honey is stored in sealed, airtight jars it won’t go off.  Like a fine wine, it becomes finer with age.  Even open jars will stay fresh for at least several months and even then, raw honey will simply ferment and not spoil. Fermentation enhances the benefits of raw honey, although the taste may become too strong for some palates. 

Like all sugars honey stimulates the taste buds and gets the juices going.  It has long been used as a tasty addition to ham and bacon.  I know several weight watchers who add honey to their porridge instead of sugar and another who adds a spoonful to bolognaise sauce just before it is about to be served.  I’ve actually adapted that idea and often use it as my secret ingredient in a home made tomato sauce.  It is a perfect base for homemade pizza or an addition to pasta for a quick and healthy children’s supper.

Of course honey is always prescribed for sore throat sufferers or those with laryngitis but we lost much of what the ancient’s knew about its wound healing properties and are only now rediscovering them.  Honey has been used topically as an antiseptic therapeutic agent for the treatment of ulcers, burns and wounds for centuries. One study in India compared the wound healing effects of honey to a conventional treatment in 104 first-degree burn patients. After one week of treatment 91 percent of honey treated burns were infection free compared with only 7 percent receiving the conventional treatment. Finally, a greater percentage of patients’ burns were healed more readily in the honey treated group. Another study examined the wound healing benefits of honey applied topically to patients following Caesarean section and hysterectomy. Compared to the group receiving the standard solution of iodine and alcohol, the honey treated group was infection free in fewer days, healed more cleanly and had a reduced hospital stay.

Honey is a natural sweetener and a great item to have in any store cupboard for hundreds of different recipes from ham to flapjacks.  Always buy local, quality honey as the first difference is always going to be in the taste. I welcome your feedback to pat@jwb.ie

Roast Leg of Lamb with Honey Orange Glaze and Port and Mint Dressing 

Serves 8-10 

Ingredients

• 1 leg of lamb, trimmed
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• Few sprigs of rosemary
• 2 onions, roughly chopped
• 1 head of garlic
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed to a paste with some salt
• The rind of 1 orange
• 2 tablesp. runny honey
• 2 tablesp olive oil
• Glass of white wine

Port and Mint Dressing 

• 4 tablesp. redcurrant jelly
• Juice of 1 orange
• Dash of port
• Few sprigs of mint

To Cook

Method

To cook, set the oven 200°C (400°F) Gas Mark 6.

Make about 10 incisions in the lamb with a sharp knife. Push a sliver of garlic and a sprig of rosemary into each hole. Place the lamb in a roasting tray with some chopped onions and a head of garlic cut in half. Mix together the crushed garlic, orange rind, honey and olive oil. Spread the mixture over the lamb. Place in the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Then add the glass of wine and a glass of water, this will stop the honey from burning. Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C (350°F) Gas Mark 4 and continue the cooking for another hour for pink lamb. Rest for 15 minutes before serving.

When the lamb is cooked remove from the roasting tray and strain the juices, keep the garlic to serve with the lamb. To the juices, add another dash of wine and a tablesp. of redcurrant jelly. Boil it up to make a jus, finish with a knob of butter and taste for seasoning.

To make the dressing, gently heat the redcurrant jelly, orange juice, port and mint. Add a little lemon juice if you think it is too sweet. Serve warm with the sliced lamb.

Serving Suggestions

Boulangère Potatoes are very good with the roast lamb and can be cooked in the oven at the same time. Simply layer some thinly sliced potatoes in a baking dish with thinly sliced onions which have first been sautéed in a knob of butter. Add seasoning and a few more knobs of butter as you do the layers. Finish off with some chicken stock and a sprinkling of Regatto cheese. Bake for 40-50 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the topping is golden and crispy.