Recipes, Lamb Recipes

Lamb rump, asparagus, jersey royals & wild garlic salsa verde

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A dish that is deeply evocative of British Springtime. Beautifully pink lamb, with carefully rendered fat and perfectly peak-season vegetables. What more could one ask for?

Humble, sensible, modest, unadulterated, unpretentious…the list could go on if I got the thesaurus out. But I’m sure you get the idea. A dish of few things, all of which sit perfectly together, all cooked with care and love, all seasoned with salt and a little acidity.

It is confident, classy cooking that is going to make you smile and feel good. And that, along with the key principles of nourishment, is all we can reasonably hope for from food. When the cooking is pure and honest, like it is here, it delivers those things in spades.

Lamp rump served pink with jersey royals and asparagus.

Serves 2 hungry people

Ingredients

For the salsa

Shop the ingredients

Directions

  1. Remove the lamb rumps from the fridge and their packaging at least an hour before you want to cook them.
  2. Place the clean jersey royals in a pot, cover with cold water, and add 2 good pinches of salt. Set over a high heat and bring to the boil. Turn down slightly and allow to cook for around 12 minutes, or until cooked. Drain from the water and set to one side.
  3. Preheat your oven to 160°C.
  4. Score the fat of the lamb rumps with a crisscross pattern and season all over with salt.
  5. Set a pan or cast-iron skillet over a low heat and place the rumps in, fat side down, with a small splash of oil. Cook like this, maintaining a low heat for 10 minutes, allowing the fat to render and crisp.
  6. Turn the heat up and begin to brown off the other sides of the rump. With the fat that has pooled in the pan, take a spoon and baste.
  7. Once all sides are brown, transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for 3-4 minutes.
  8. Remove the rumps from the pan and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Do not discard the lamb fat from the pan.
  9. Return the pan to a medium heat. Gently crush the Jersey royals in your hand and place them in the pan. Fry in the lamb fat until nicely browned.
  10. Place the lamb sauce in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the asparagus and cook for 1 minute, then add the jersey royals and cook for a further minute, then finally, take off the heat and add the wild garlic leaves and a splash of vinegar. Stir together and taste for seasoning, adjusting as necessary.

For the salsa:

  1. Add the mint, wild garlic, capers, anchovies, and shallot to a bowl and season with salt. Then add the juice and zest of half the lemon, plus 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Stir together well before adding the olive oil.
  2. Allow to sit for ten minutes before stirring again and tasting for seasoning. Adjust as necessary.

For 15 years George worked in some of London’s most loved restaurants, including Padella and Primeur, and had a 5-year stint as Head Chef at the Garden Museum Café. George earned rave reviews for his simple, thoughtful cookery, his dishes were firmly rooted in the classics, and always paid homage to the produce. In 2021 George realised a long-held ambition and released his first cookbook entitled, A Year In The Kitchen. It celebrates the annual cookery cycle, taking readers on a journey through the British seasons, showcasing native produce, and inspiring year round creativity. In 2022 George left London behind, and moved back home to Yorkshire. His passion for seasonal cookery and reverence of quality British ingredients proved that for George, home is where the heart is. Like his food, George is led by the seasons, he’s open to new opportunities, and always following his heart.