Grandma Pat’s rolled lamb breast with dauphinoise potatoes
A recipe inspired by Poppy O'Toole's grandma. A rolled lamb breast with creamy dauphinoise potatoes. Served with a rich red wine and caper sauce.
Ingredients
For the lamb
- 1.2kg/2lb 10oz boned and rolled lamb breast
- 170g/6oz sage and onion stuffing mixture
- 2 tbsp olive oil, for drizzling
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the dauphinoise potatoes
- 2.5kg/5lb 8oz Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 onions, thinly sliced
- 1 litre–2 litres/1¾ pints–3½ pints double cream
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- 3 thyme sprigs
- 3 rosemary sprigs
- 1 bay leaf
- pinch white pepper
- pinch ground nutmeg
- pinch salt
For the spring greens
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 200g/7oz cherry tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú balsamic vinegar
- 500g/1lb 2oz spring greens, chopped
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the red wine sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 banana shallots, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 thyme sprigs
- 750ml/1¼ pint red wine
- 450ml/16fl oz beef stock
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú butter
- 1 tbsp capers, chopped
Method
To make the lamb, preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5.
Unroll the lamb breast and remove a third of the tough lamb skin from one end of the breast so it does not go tough in the centre.
Make the stuffing according to packet instructions but do not bake it.
Flip over the lamb and spread the stuffing all over. On the side with the skin removed, start to roll the lamb back up and tie with kitchen string. Drizzle with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Transfer to a roasting tin and roast in the oven for 2½ hours.
To make the dauphinoise potatoes, place the sliced potatoes in water so they don’t brown. Preheat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 2½.
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and gently fry the onions until softened. Add the double cream, garlic, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, white pepper and nutmeg. Season with plenty of salt. Cook until thickened slightly, then take off the heat and remove the herbs. Drain the potatoes and add them to the cream and stir to coat.
Either tip the mixture into a baking tray or layer the potatoes neatly in the tray, just slightly overlapping. Season with salt and a little of the cream in between the layers. Once all the potatoes are used up, pour over the remaining cream. Place baking paper on top and cook in the oven for 40 minutes.
Remove the baking paper and cook for a further 20–30 minutes until golden on top.
Meanwhile, to make the spring greens, heat the olive oil in a saucepan and fry the cherry tomatoes and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Add the balsamic vinegar followed by the spring greens. Fry until the greens have just wilted.
To make the red wine sauce, place the shallots, garlic, thyme and red wine in a saucepan and cook until reduced by half. Add the beef stock and sugar and reduce to approximately 400ml/14fl oz sauce. Whisk in the cold butter and chopped capers.
Place the cooked greens onto a large serving platter, carve the lamb and place on top. Serve the potatoes and gravy on the side, family style.
