Great British Springtime Recipes

With spring having well and truly arrived it's time to make the most of some classic spring ingredients: new season lamb and rhubarb. Both ingredients are at what must rank now as their best and, for once in the year, it's time to celebrate them and make the most of them. As a result I'm presenting here two classic British recipes. A spectacular roast of lamb and a rhubarb-based dessert. Both are classic recipes, dating from the 1920s and show that there always has been good British cookery, it's just that it's been somewhat hiding its light under a bushel and I hope that these recipes will make you re-appraise classic British cookery.

Guard of Honour

Ingredients:
2 best ends of lamb, each with 6 cutlets

15g butter

1 medium onion, chopped

3 celery sticks, chopped

2 eating apples, cored and chopped

100g fresh breadcrumbs

2 tbsp chopped fresh mint

grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

1 egg

450ml lamb or beef stock

a few sprigs of mint, to garnish

Method:
Take the two best ends of neck and trim the ends of each cutlet bone, removing any meat to a depth of 2cm (this allows for later decoration). Hold the joints opposite one another and gently lean them towards one another, interleaving the exposed ends of the cutlet bones. Secure the two best ends together with cotton or thin twine so that they do not come apart during cooking. Now cover the exposed bone ends in foil to prevent burning.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan and use to cook the onion, celery and apples until lightly browned. Stir-in the breadcrumbs, mint, lemon zest and lemon juice and the egg. Season to taste then take off the heat and allow to cool.

Place the joint in a small roasting tin and fill the gap between the two roasting joints with the onion, apple and breadcrumb stuffing. Place the entire joint in an oven pre-heated to 180°C. Cook for 30 minutes per 500g plus 20 minutes. Baste occasionally and cover with foil if the meat is browning too quickly.

When ready, transfer the roast to a warmed serving dish and keep warm. Meanwhile, drain off all but 3 tbsp oil in the roasting pan, add the flour and mix to form a roux. Blend well and cook for about 2 minutes before slowly adding the stock, whisking to blend into the roux. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the gravy thickens. Season to taste and serve with the joint which should be garnished with sprigs of mint.


Rhubarb and Lemon Meringue Tart

Ingredients:
250g lemon pastry
1kg rhubarb cut at an angle into 3cm lengths

2 eggs, separated

2 egg yolks

240g caster sugar

150ml double cream

juice of 1 lemon

freshly-grated zest of 1 lemon

Method:
Add the rhubarb to a pan with a little water and cook until just tender, but retaining its shape (about 8 minutes). Drain and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile roll out the pastry until large enough to cover the base of a 25cm pie dish. In a bowl, combine the egg yolks (all 4) with half the sugar. Beat until pale and creamy then add the lemon juice and lemon zest and stir in. Gently fold the cooled and drained rhubarb into the egg yolk mixture then turn into the pastry case.

Place the resultant pie in an oven pre-heated to 190°C and bake for 30 minutes, or until set and golden. Meanwhile add the egg yolks to a clean bowl and beat until stiff. Fold in the remaining sugar then whisk until dissolved.

When the pie is ready spread the meringue over the top and return to the oven to bake for a further 8 minutes, or so, until the meringue is set and golden. The pie can be served either hot or cold.

These two recipes are guaranteed to make a spectacular impact at any meal and would suitably grace any table. I hope that these recipes have inspired you and that you will want to find out more about the best of British cookery.

About the Author

Dyfed Lloyd Evans celebrates the best of modern and traditional British Recipes on his website where you can also find many more Lamb Recipes and Dessert Recipes