Local Life-April 2022

Springtime! A time when we say goodbye to hearty stews, cold, dreich weather (hopefully) and welcome in the new season of warmer weather with lighter and brighter spring dishes. Nothing announces the start of spring more than Scottish spring lamb. In East Lothian, thanks to the team at The Brand Family Larder, we are so lucky to have home-reared 100% grass-fed Hampshire Down Lamb. And, it is this fantastic produce that is the centrepiece of our colourful spring dish.

Lamb Rack
lamb rack 700-800g (8 racks) serves 2 to 3 people – depending how hungry you are!
Black & Gold rapeseed oil
2 sprigs thyme
2 cloves garlic peeled, crushed slightly with knife
Blackthorn sea salt and pepper for seasoning

Method
Preheat oven 180ºC fan. Season the lamb generously with salt and pepper. Heat a large, heavy oven-safe frying pan over a moderately high heat and brown lamb racks well on the meaty sides for about 1-2 minutes, then turn and brown the other side for a further minute. Add garlic and thyme.

Place frying pan in oven and roast for about 10 minutes for pink, 17-20 minutes for medium and 25 minutes for well-done. Rest meat for 15 minutes.

Lamb Jus
Black & Gold rapeseed oil
lamb trimmings
2 shallots (finely sliced)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
250ml white wine
sprig thyme & rosemary
1 litre lamb stock

Method
Heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan. Add the lamb pieces and sauté until caramelised a deep golden brown. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and continue to sauté for a further 5 minutes or so, until everything is a deep golden brown.

Tip everything into a colander to drain off the fat. Return the meat and vegetables to the pan, add white wine to deglaze the pan. Add the herbs and lamb stock and simmer gently for 20 minutes, skimming from time to time. Strain through a fine sieve and serve.
Mint Salsa Verde
60ml Black & Gold rapeseed oil
2 marinated anchovies
15g capers
bunch of mint
2tsp Dijon mustard
squeeze lemon juice

Method
Add all the ingredients to a food processor or blender and blitz to a thick paste. Season to taste. If you don’t have a blender finely chop all ingredients and mix.

Spring Veg Fricasse
1 Baby Gem lettuce
couple of handfuls of peas and fèves (broadbeans) – if fresh not available frozen will work too
Black & Gold rapeseed oil
knob of butter

Method
Sauté Baby Gem in oil until caramelised add butter, peas and fèves.

Confit Tomatoes
cherry tomatoes
Black & Gold rapeseed oil
Blackthorn sea salt and pepper

Method
Place tomatoes on baking tray sprinkle with oil, sea salt (we highly recommend Blackthorn) and pepper in oven 110ºC fan for 1 hour. Can be done in advance.

Pickled Courgette
1 courgette
2 tbsp of Black & Gold rapeseed oil
2 tbsp of white wine vinegar

Method
Using a peeler make strips of the courgette. Place on a tray then sprinkle with oil and vinegar. Leave for 30 minutes to an hour then pat dry with kitchen towel.