Looking ahead to Love Lamb Week which is taking place on the 1st – 7th of September, there’s no better way celebrate local lamb farmers than with fantastic recipes showcasing the exceptional taste and quality that lamb brings to the dinner table.
Eat Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef has collated a fabulous selection of recipes using affordable and versatile cuts of Welsh Lamb, including a light and balanced Welsh Lamb stir-fry with ginger and spring onions and a show stopping Roast leg of Welsh Lamb with gin and cranberry – the perfect dish to elevate your upcoming dinner party. Looking for a timeless classic with a twist? Try our Moroccan spiced shepherd’s pie, wholesome and packed full of flavour!
Buying local produce, like Welsh Lamb, not only supports the local economy and culture, but it also enables local farmers to continue making strides in producing food that is kinder to the planet – after all, fewer food miles and less waste all count towards a better world for future generations. Grass-fed Welsh Lamb is farmed locally using natural processes that have been sustained over generations in the beautiful Welsh countryside, giving Welsh Lamb an exceptional flavour and quality that is unique to Wales – making it the perfect choice for your autumn dishes.
Moroccan spiced shepherd’s pie
- Prep time: 20 mins
- Cook time: 45 mins
- Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- 450g lean minced PGI Welsh Lamb
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp fennel seeds
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tbsp flour
- 300ml vegetable or lamb stock (more might be required)
- 25g pine nuts (optional)
- Chopped parsley to serve (optional)
For the topping:
- 400g boiling potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 200g sweet potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 50g butter
- Splash of milk or cream
- Seasoning
Method:
- Put the potatoes on to boil, while potatoes are boiling make up the meat mixture.
- In a hot pan, fry the mince, onion and garlic until browned. Add the spices and stir well, then add the carrots and flour – cook for a few minutes then add the stock and purée. Add the pine nuts.
- Cook for 20 minutes, and then transfer into a pie dish.
- When the potatoes are soft, drain, add the seasoning, butter and milk. Mash until creamy.
- Spoon or pipe the potato onto the meat mixture. Cook in oven for a further 15 minutes until the potatoes have browned.
Roast leg of Welsh Lamb with gin and cranberry
- Prep time: 20 mins
- Cook time: 1hr 40 mins
- Serves: 5+
Ingredients:
- 1 PGI Welsh Lamb leg joint, allow 175-350g per person
- 450g PGI Welsh Lamb or PGI Welsh Beef sausages, slit skins and remove meat
- 6 tbsp gin
- 3 tbsp cranberry sauce
- 4 small red onions
- 1 tsp butter
- 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4-5. Weigh the joint and calculate the cooking time: medium – 25 minutes per 450g / 500g plus 25 minutes or well done – 30 minutes per 450g / 500g plus 30 minutes.
- Line a roasting pan with two sheets of foil and place the lamb leg onto the foil. Mix together the gin and cranberry sauce and spoon this over the lamb.
- Scrunch the foil around the joint, but leave the top exposed. Place the joint in the preheated oven to roast and baste occasionally during cooking.
- Add the onions 45 minutes before the end of the final cooking time for the lamb.
- Meanwhile, cut the onions in half horizontally (stalk at top) and using a spoon scoop out some of the layers leaving 2-3 in the shell.
- Roughly chop the removed onion. In a pan heat butter and lightly fry the onion. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Add the rosemary and sausage meat and combine together.
- Take a handful of mixture and stuff into onion shells. Prop up around the joint, drizzle with a little olive oil and cook for 40-50 minutes until onion soft and fully golden. Rest the joint for about 15 minutes.
- Serve with roasted potatoes, baked onions, seasonal vegetables and cranberry gin meat juices.
Welsh Lamb stir-fry with ginger and spring onions
- Prep time: 15 mins
- Cook time: 15 mins
- Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- 2 lean PGI Welsh Lamb leg or rump steaks
- 1 tsp cornflour
- Pinch of black pepper
- 3 tbsp reduced salt soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oil
- 5cm piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
- 6 spring onions, finely sliced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into thin batons or into thin circles
- 1 pack of sugar snap peas
- 75g broccoli florets
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- Water, if required
- 300g cooked noodles to serve
Method:
Slice the lamb into very thin slices and coat in the cornflour, add the black pepper and one tablespoon of soy sauce. Cover and leave to stand while you prepare the vegetables.
Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the lamb and cook over high heat for approximately 5 minutes until nice and brown, remove meat from pan and set aside.
To the same pan add the ginger and garlic and stir for a minute (add a dash of oil if required), then add the remaining vegetables, and stir over high heat for 4 minutes.
Return the lamb to the pan and stir well. Add the orange juice and remaining soy sauce, add a little water, if required to sauce. Add the cooked noodles and stir well, heat until the noodles are piping hot.