Easy Does It - Lovely Lamb Dishes for Spring

Georgina Campbell shares some seriously tasty Irish lamb recipes…

Lamb is synonymous with spring, and has become one of the most popular Easter treats in recent years. New season Irish spring lamb is tiny and delicately flavoured - and commands a premium price; certainly a treat by any standards. But what you’re more likely to be cooking at this time of year, especially for a gathering of any size, will actually be hogget, which is a one year old lamb with plenty of meat on it and good-sized roasting joints.

These three very different recipes demonstrate the versatility of lamb well – and all would be best suited to the more mature lamb (hogget), which has plenty of flavour and lots of good eating on it.


Roast Leg of Lamb with Honey Orange Glaze and Port and Mint Dressing

This delicious Sunday roast takes very little effort and would also be ideal for a family gathering over Easter. Shoulder of lamb, which is especially tender and sweet-flavoured and makes a lovely roast, could be used instead for a smaller group of about 6 people.

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Moroccan Style Braised Lamb Shanks

This aromatic version of a very popular dish is ideal for a busy day as it can be left to get on with its long slow cooking while you do other things – a making an easy and seriously delicious meal to come back tolater. The lamb can be covered in clingfilm and marinated in the fridge for up to 24 hours beforehand if you wish, to allow the spices to penetrate the meat and making a more strongly flavoured and fragrant dish. The accompanying couscous can be jazzed up with pistachio nuts and dried fruits, such as sultanas and raisins and a little chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley.

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Slow Cooked Spiced Shoulder of Lamb Wraps with Roasted Garlic Aioli and Tomato Salsa

The longer you cook this shoulder of lamb the better so don’t worry if it gets an extra hour or so. If you use a boned shoulder you could reduce the cooking time by approximately an hour. The meat should be so tender that it is easily shredded with a fork. If you have some lamb and aioli left over, they will keep in the fridge for a couple of days.

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