In The Centre #14 | Lamb and Clams

Less surf and turf, more mud flats and hillside

I’m afraid I’m adding another lamb recipe to the Easter Week pot.

Were we sat in a modish London bistro or wine bar, it’d be scribbled on a black board as ‘lamb and clams’.

Fortunately, there’s space here to be more descriptive. So I’m free to tell you that this is a roast pepper, clam and chickpea stew, with pan-fried, paprika-and-browned-butter-emboldened lamb neck perched on top. There’s sherry (bone dry fino) and pops of sweetness and smoke (from the charred peppers and paprika). Plus the briney clams work so well against the lamb — which is all crusty browning and Maillard reaction on the outside, ferrous and grassy within. Heck, it’s marvellous. I love it and hope you do too.

… Yes, yes, I know it’s not really along the feasting lines of a traditional roast*. It’s not intended as such. Cook it this weekend, cook it another time… whatever you fancy**. That said, if you’re after cooking times for more traditional roasts, plus ideas for sides (hi Mum), then there are some notes before we get to The Recipe.

*as it happens, I think you could happily scale-up to serve more than the four people suggested.

**though traditional this weekend, really lamb is better mid-late summer. That said, hogget is perfect right now, though, so if you see any of that, then dive straight in. (i.e. 12-24 month old sheep, so the lambs born and frolicking around last Easter!)

Housekeeping

Easter eggs

First things first: have you got all your egg gifting sorted out? There’s still time to add a few copies of Good Eggs to your basket… (sound on for the disappointment).

Easter lamb

Already bought or will buy a hunk o sheep and plan to feed a few people this weekend? Do one of three things:

1. Shoulder? Well done. That’s the correct purchase. Slow-roast/braise it. Deep roasting tin, layer of peeled shallots or quartered onions, season the lamb generously, a drizzle of oil, glass of wine in the bottom, cover the tray tightly with foil, 140C fan 6-7 hours, removing foil in that time period only once the lamb is totally tender, ramp up the oven to 180C fan for 15-20 minutes to crisp. Can’t beat Dauphinoise or gratin potatoes and spring greens, tbh. Although I also like the very easy option of decanting quality butter beans from a jar, and mingling them with barely blanched niblets and tips of asparagus and purple sprouting broccoli.

2. Leg? Ah yes. You’ve pictured yourself serving it blushing pink while everyone around the table applauds? Butterfly it, season/rub (can’t beat rosemary, garlic, anchovy), then speedy roast or (better) barbecue. Again, Dauphinoise or gratin potatoes, spring greens a good starting point. This might also be the thing to rub with cumin and paprika and serve with Ottolenghi platters.

3. Leg, but can’t/won’t butterfly it, and realise it’s better to reduce the pressure and take it easy, go for a walk, have a convivial time? Good call. Slow cook it. It needs less time than the shoulder, and will scare you for a bit … but does eventually turn succulent and fall off the bone-able. Serve it with some Good Things, including a zippy sauce. Consider, for example a Greek-ish vibe (lemon and bay potatoes, tsatsiki), like this one I wrote for Borough Market a few years ago.

   

   Or how about with a mint, parsley and almond pesto, butter bean and leek gratin, and honeyed carrots. That’s a menu I wrote for Waitrose Weekend a while back (all details through the links).

   

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Back to lamb and clams.

This week’s recipe

Lamb and clams

Lamb neck (often labelled ‘lamb neck fillet) is one of those muscles that you either cook quickly (and slice thinly) or braise slowly. I favour the speedy cook — you get a similar reward to cooking bavette steak or onglet, as there’ll be enough time to get a lovely crust, while cooking to a medium-rare / medium inside.

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