In Season: Welsh Lamb with New Potatoes and Asparagus (One Pan)
Whenever we go on holiday to Wales, I go into ‘buy local’ overdrive. Surrounded by lush green fields bordering the coast in North Wales, some of the very best Welsh lamb and Welsh Black Beef is available. It’s a chance to reconnect with the food chain. The local butcher carries only local meat and tells you which farm you are buying from and even the particular breed. The very freshest fish can be found directly from the shores of the Llyn Peninsula, with fishmongers able to tell you the time of the catch. Even some of the bigger shops and supermarkets specifically label fresh and local produce; organic free range eggs from Treddafydd Farm, fresh cream from the dairy less than four miles down the road…I wish local food shopping were always this easy.
Crazy as I am, I also brought with me on holiday one cookery book, Nigella Kitchen, as there were a few recipes I had bookmarked from her fabulously-named chapter ‘The Bone Collection’. I gave some of the recipes a local Welsh twist; Asian braised shin of beef, made with Welsh Black Beef braising steak – this would have been amazing cooked in a slow-cooker. Our favorite of the week was Nigella’s recipe for Greek Lamb Chops with lemon and potatoes, which I made with local Welsh lamb shoulder. I also used fresh, seasonal ingredients, new potatoes instead of baking, fresh mint in place of dried, with garlic, lemon zest and juice, local rapeseed oil and a last minute addition of seasonal asparagus. It didn’t end up tasting particularly Greek, perhaps some crumbled feta cheese would have worked well.
Eaten outside on the deck, breathing in the fresh Welsh air, mopped up with garlic bread and a glass of wine – this supper was close to perfect (well, I did have to cook it myself!)
[gmc_recipe 3868]
I’m sending this across to Lucy from Vanilla Frost who is hosting this month’s Forever Nigella on behalf of Sarah from Maison Cupcake. The theme is Springtime and as we were on Easter holidays, I hope this fits.
As the recipe I used included seasonal ingredients (spring lamb, British asparagus) I’m linking it up to April’s Simple and in Season, too here on Fabulicious Food!
Oh my, this looks good. I am pottering around blogland tonight, rapidly adding things to my ‘must cook’ list, this will be making an appearance at our table very soon.
Thanks Sian, I know what you mean, I have quite a list, too 🙂 Just spotted Nigel Slater’s Asparagus Lasagne in Observer Food Monthly – not that I *must* try!
This looks SO delicious – I LOVE one pan dinners and this is a winner!
Mary x
Thank you Mary, Nigella is always great for easy, no-mess food!
Your roast potatoes look wonderful (I’m rubbish at roast spuds and always get husband to do them) and I think it’s very sensible to take a cookery book on holiday with you. Probably I should download some kindle versions of my favourites to take to France!
Thanks for entering Forever Nigella!
New potatoes peeled, but really I should have left the skin on 🙂 Nigella Kitchen did take up quite a bit of space, but worth it!!
Nothing says spring like lamb. I’m a veggie but I can still appreciate that this looks good. The carnivores in my house would love it! Thanks for sending this over Ren.
Thanks Lucy, oh gosh, not a veggie recipe, sorry about that, glad the carnivores would approve 🙂 Thanks for hosting.
Wow, fabulous looking dish! I can almost taste it. I love to buy and eat local and seasonal when I can as well. Living on the Welsh Border, we are very lucky here! xxoo
Thanks Marie, always so lovely to be able to buy local. I’m sure your part of the world is lovely, too!