Spring lambs' liver escalopes with sage and soft polenta

Serves 4

Everyone I know gets excited about spring lamb, but what about the liver? It never gets a look in. Traditionally liver has a bad rep in this country, as it is often served overcooked and thickly sliced. However, this dish has its origins in Italy, where spring lamb is highly anticipated and well worth the wait. Try it – you may be surprised.

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 40g (1 ½oz) butter
  • 450g (1lb) spring lambs’ liver, very
  • thinly sliced into escalopes
  • 4 slices prosciutto
  • 12 fresh sage sprigs
  • soft polenta:
  • 500ml (18fl oz) chicken stock
  • 500ml (18fl oz) milk
  • 175g (6oz) instant polenta
  • 75g (3oz) freshly grated Parmesan
  • 4 heaped tbsp mascarpone cheese
  • sea salt and freshly ground black
  • pepper

To make the soft polenta, place the stock and milk in a pan over a high heat and bring to the boil. Whisk in the polenta and cook, stirring until smooth. Season to taste and stir in the Parmesan. Cover and set aside until needed. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Add half of the olive oil and a knob of the butter to the pan and then add half of the lambs’ liver escalopes. Season to taste and cook briefly on each side until lightly browned but still pink in the middle.

Transfer to a warmed plate and keep warm. Use the remaining oil and another knob of the butter to cook the rest of the lambs’ liver escalopes, then transfer to the warmed plate as before. Add the prosciutto to the heated pan with the sage leaves and quickly sear until crisp. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper until needed. Add the rest of the butter to the pan and swirl it around to pick up all of the juices. Place a dollop of the soft polenta into the middle of each warmed plate and swirl in a spoonful of the mascarpone cheese. Arrange the lambs’ liver escalopes on top and scatter over the prosciutto and sage. Finally, drizzle with the pan juices to serve.

Griddled lamb Chops with Courgettes and lemon

Serves 4

This recipe would also be perfect on the barbecue on a nice summer evening when you don’t want to spend too much time cooking. If you don’t fancy the goat’s curd or soft goat’s cheese, try serving it with some tzatziki.

  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp clear honey
  • 1 tsp chopped fresh oregano
  • 8 lamb chops
  • 4 small courgettes, sliced on the
  • diagonal
  • 450g (1lb) baby new potatoes
  • few sprigs of fresh mint
  • 4 lemon wedges
  • 100g (4oz) goat’s curd or soft
  • goat’s cheese
  • sea salt and freshly ground black
  • pepper

Mix together the garlic, oil, honey, oregano and seasoning in a shallow non-metallic dish. Add the lamb chops and courgette slices and mix until evenly combined. Set aside at room temper ature to allow the flavours to develop. Place the new potatoes in a steamer with the mint sprigs on top and cook for 15–20 minutes, until tender.

Heat a griddle pan until smoking hot. Add the lamb chops and courgette slices and cook for 2–3 minutes on each side, until the lamb is cooked to your liking and the courgettes are tender and nicely marked. Add the lemon wedges to the griddle for a minute or two, until nicely charred. Arrange the lamb chops on warmed plates with the courgettes and lemon wedges.

Add the steamed new potatoes and a dollop of the goat’s curd or soft goat’s cheese. Give a good grinding of black pepper to each one to serve.