Foodie Thursday

By Simon Boyle of Brigade Restaurant, The Fire Station, Tooley Street, London SE1

Preparation time: less than 30mins

Cooking time: 1 to 2 hours

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 leg of mutton, or four lamb leg steaks 180g each

2 tbsp olive oil

plain flour, for dusting

salt & pepper

30g/1oz butter

1 small onion, chopped very finely

1/2 celery stick, chopped finely

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 sprig of rosemary

1 sprig of thyme

1 tsp tomato puree

150ml/5fl oz dry white wine

290ml/10fl oz good hot lamb stock

Salt & freshly ground pepper

For the winter leaves

320-400g of leaves (e.g. kale, spinach, cavalo nero) & cabbage, thick stalks removed & remainder cut into chunky pieces & blanched (or don’t if you want more crunch)

1 garlic clove, thinly chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

30g/1oz butter

1 lemon, zest only, grated

1 tbsp finely chopped parsley

1 tbsp lemon juice

Salt & black pepper

Method

1. Choose a sauté pan large enough to fit all the mutton slices in one layer.

2. Heat the oil & brown the seasoned mutton on both sides after lightly dusting them with flour. Remove them from the pan & reserve.

3. Add the butter to the pan & add the chopped celery, onions, garlic & herb sprigs with a pinch of salt to cook them gently without burning for a few minutes. When the vegetables are soft, stir in the tomato puree & then return the meat to the pan & add the wine. Cook gently until the moisture is almost completely dried out.

4. Add the hot lamb stock, turn the heat down & cover with a tight lid. Cook gently in a 160C/140C fan/Gas Mark 3 for 1& a half hours or until the meat is coming off the bone, turning them every 20 minutes or so. When turning the mutton make sure that you lift them gently with a spatula so that they stay in one piece & the marrow is not lost.

5. When cooked place the mutton on to the serving dish & keep them warm. 

6. Mix all the leaves & cabbage together, season with S&P, stir-fry in hot olive oil & butter until ¾s cooked, then add garlic & lemon zest.

7. When just cooked, stir in lemon juice & chopped parsley. Spread the leaves around the mutton.