Mon, 11 February 2019
Joe's Luxurious Loin of Lamb en croute, stuffed with spinach and wild mushroom served on minted courgettes.
3-4 sprigs rosemary, finely chopped
2 lamb loin fillets, or neck fillets weighing approx. 227g each
3 tbsp. Irish rapeseed oil
150 g wild forest mushrooms, finely chopped
2 leeks, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
100 ml white wine
300g fresh spinach
500 g packet puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
Sea salt and ground black pepper
MINTED COURGETTE
2 small courgettes, finely sliced lengthways
4 mint leaves, julienne
1/2 garlic clove
1/2 lemon, juiced
50ml of Irish Rapeseed oil
15ml of balsamic vinegar
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 200C/180Cfan/gas 6. Sprinkle the rosemary onto a plate. Season the lamb with salt and black pepper then roll it in the rosemary. Heat half the oil in a frying pan and sear the lamb for 2-3 minutes each side until brown all over. Remove and set aside.
2. Heat the half of the remaining oil in the pan and gently fry the mushrooms, leeks and garlic for about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the wine and cook until evaporated. Place onto a plate and leave to cool slightly.
Heat the remaining oil in the pan, add the spinach, season with salt pepper and nutmeg, let wilt, leave to one side to cool
3. Cut pastry block in half and roll into a large rectangle about 5mm thick (big enough to wrap around the lamb). Spoon half the mushroom mixture down the centre of the rectangle, place half of the spinach on top now place the lamb on top of the spinach.. Brush any exposed pastry with the beaten egg and then wrap the pastry around the meat, sealing tightly ' trim the top and bottom if a little too much pastry. Place on a baking tray, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining pastry and second piece of lamb.
4. Brush the pastry all over with the remaining beaten egg and decorate with pastry trimmings if you wish. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until pastry is golden brown. Leave to rest for 10 minutes before carving into thick slices.
5. While lamd is cooking, place 50 ml of oil onto the pan, add the garlic and mint and cook for 1-2 minutes, add the courgette and cook until it starts to soften, add the lemon juice and balsamic vinegar and cook down
6. Place some courgette onto each plate, top with some lovely carved lamb, serve with a nice jus and your favourite potato, enjoy
