“A lot of people are using lamb ribs now, however there can be a lot of waste. To leave the breast on means you avoid waste, and allow the flavours to be released from the fat and bone into the dish.” – Sam Gant, Pot & Pan
Serves 4
Ingredients
2kg lamb breast (ribs attached)
Half bunch oregano
2 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves
3 pinches sea salt
Vadouvan Sauce
1/8 tsp fenugreek (be careful with portion here as very bitter)
Pinch brown mustard seeds (as above)
1 dried curry leaf
2 shallots
3 cloves garlic
Pinch curry powder
1/8 tsp cumin seeds
Pinch ground cardamom
Pinch turmeric
Pinch chilli flakes
100g butter
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves
1/4 whole nutmeg, grated
Greek yoghurt, to serve
Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
For the marinade, blitz the oregano, olive oil, garlic and sea salt for the marinade. Baste all over the lamb.
In a metal roasting dish with high sides, place lamb in the oven at 150C for one hour. Pour 10cm of water into the pan and turn the temperature down to 110C, slow cooking for a further three or four hours (depending on your oven). Check the lamb after three hours, when the meat should almost be falling off bone.
Whilst the lamb is cooking, prepare the sauce: sauté the garlic and shallots with olive oil and half the butter until soft. Slightly temper spices in a pan on the stove on a very low heat until fragrant (note: there is a short window of time between a fragrant and burnt spice mix!) then ground them together using a mortar and pestle, then blitz ground spice mix in a blender with the garlic and shallot mixture. In a small saucepan, cook remaining butter until it turns a golden brown colour. Mix through the spice/shallot mixture.
Serve lamb with Greek yoghurt on the base of plate, placing the lamb on top. Finish by spooning the Vadouvan sauce over the top of the lamb.