SHOULDER OF CROBEAG LAMB

Ingredients to serve 2

One shoulder of Crobeag Lamb
Olive oil
Garlic
Sea Salt
Handful of cumin seeds and rosemary
Two red onions

This is a wonderfully rustic dish using, in my opinion, the tastiest part of the lamb. Take the shoulder of lamb and rub it all over with olive oil, garlic and sea salt. Place it in a hot pan and brown both sides.

Turn it fat side up and sprinkle on a good handful of the cumin seeds and rosemary, and place in a hot oven (220 degrees Centigrade, 425F, gas mark 7) with a couple of whole red onions and roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Remove and let the meat rest for a good 15 minutes or more.

Slice the meat from the bone and serve with saffron-scented rice and a large glass of Rioja.

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GARLIC AND RED WINE LEWIS LAMB

(so tender you can it eat with a spoon!)

4 - 5 lb leg of Lewis Lamb or Lewis Lamb roast
50 cloves Garlic (peeled)
1 bottle good red wine
4 tbs olive oil
quarter cup brandy
salt and pepper

Heat oil in Dutch oven or heavy cast iron roaster. Season the Lewis Lamb liberally with salt and pepper. Brown Lewis Lamb on all sides, then remove from pan and set aside.

Pour off all but one tablespoon of fat and return pan to medium heat. Add the 50 cloves of garlic and saute well. When the garlic is nicely sauteed, pour in quarter cup of brandy and the turn the heat to high. Taking extreme care, ignite the brandy with a match or firestarter. When the flames have subsided, scrape the bottom of the Dutch oven or roaster with a woooden spoon, loosening all the crusty brown bits.

Return the lamb to the Dutch oven or roaster. Pour in half to three quarters of the bottle of red wine (the remainder is for the cook!). Place a sheet of greaseless or parchment paper over the top of the Dutch oven or roaster and then replace the cover to create an effective seal.

Place Dutch oven or roaster to your oven or stove's lowest possible setting (circa 200F) for eight hours. After four hours turn the lamb, replacing the greaseless paper before covering.

At the end of cooking time, remove the lamb carefully and place on a platter. Arrange the garlic cloves around the meat.

Retain the cooking liquid in the Dutch oven or roaster and reduce by half by boiling at high heat on the hob. Serve the lamb with the reduced cooking liquid as a gravy.

Wine suggestion

A robust wine from southern Italy is best, but wine from the Languedoc, Spain or Australia are effective complements to this dish. A Californian Zinfandel would also be great.

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BRAISED KNUCKLE OF LAMB
Serves 6

6 large knuckles lamb
1 large carrot, roughly chopped
1 large onion, roughly chopped
8 cloves garlic (skins on)
4 sprigs thyme
1 stick celery, chopped
4 bay leaves
1 dessertspoon coarse sea salt
1 dessertspoon black peppercorns
3 dessertspoons heather honey
three quarters of a bottle red wine
3 level dessertspoons molasses sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
olive oil
black pepper

Oven 150C/300F/Gas 2

Trim the knuckles so that they will stand on end, exposing the bone. Put all the vegetables and herbs into a large ovenproof dish. Sear the knuckles on all sides in olive oil and add them to the pot, standing up like soldiers in amongst the vegetables. Pour in the honey and wine and sprinkle over the salt and the peppercorns.

Cook the dish, tightly covered, in the oven for three hours, until the lamb is coming away from the bone.

Take the knuckles out and put them on a plate while you make the sauce. Strain and discard the vegetables and return the juices to a saucepan, stirring in the sugar and the soy sauce. Reduce the liquid until it is syrupy.

Increase the oven temperature to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Put the knuckles back into the ovenproof dish and pour some of the sauce over them, to coat them. Roast them for a further 20 minutes, basting occasionally and checking that they aren't becoming too dark - in which case cover them loosely with tinfoil.

Serve them with some butter-bean puree and small glazed onions.

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LOIN OF CROBEAG LAMB
Serves three or four

Loin of Crobeag Lamb
Cherry tomatoes

A single loin of lamb, with the loin flap once rolled, will feed three or four people. The loin should be de-boned, rolled and tied. Stuff some herbs and garlic inside if so wished.

To cook, heat a pan with a little oil and seal the lamb on all sides then place in a hot oven - 260C/475F/gas mark 9 - for about 20 minutes. Remove and allow to rest for 10 minutes before carving.

The lamb should be lovely and pink when you take it out the oven. Serve with a meat reduction and some lightly roasted cherry tomatoes.

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SPICED LAMB BAKE

A quite delicious South African shepherd's pie. Serves four

1 tbs vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
675 gm/1.5lbs minced Lewis lamb
2 tbs medium curry paste
2 tbs mango chutney
2 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 tbs chopped, blanched almonds
2 tbs sultanas
75 gm/3 oz creamed coconut, crumbled
2 eggs
2 bay leaves
salt and ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the chopped onion for 5-6 minutes, until softened but not browned.

Add the Lewis lamb and cook over a moderate heat, turning frequently, until browned all over. Stir in the curry paste, chutney, lemon juice, almonds and sultanas, season well with salt and pepper and cook for about five minutes.

Transfer the mixture to an ovenproof dish and cook in the oven, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, dissolve the crumbled creamed coconut in 200ml/7 fl oz/scant 1 cup boiling water and cool slightly. Beat in the eggs and a little seasoning.

Remove the dish from the oven and pour the coconut 'custard' over the meat mixture. Lay the bay leaves on the top and return the dish to the oven for 30 - 35 minutes, or until the top is set and golden. Serve hot.

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