Spring Vegetable Risotto

If you're needing an energy boost, this vegetable risotto is just the ticket. It's bound to lift the lethargy and is incredibly filling as it's high in fibre and is crammed with long lasting energy givers. Just what the Dr ordered!

Ingredients:
1 litre vegetable stock
100g asparagus tips
100g baby carrots, halved lengthwise
200g fresh young peas, shelled
500g baby broad beans, shelled
30ml olive oil
2 baby leeks, thinly sliced
300g risotto rice
15ml pesto
freshly ground black pepper
25g toasted pine nuts

Method:
Bring the stock to the boil in a large saucepan, then reduce the heat and add the asparagus tips, carrots, peas and broad beans. Simmer for 4-5 minutes, or until tender.
Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon and set aside. Keep the stock simmering over gentle heat.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the leeks. Stir-fry for 2 minutes o medium heat, or until they are bright green, then stir in the rice.
Add about 50ml stock and cook gently, stirring until the liquid is absorbed. Continue adding stock, a little at a time and stirring regularly for about 20 minutes, until the mixture is soupy and the grains of rice are tender, but still have a slight bite.
Stir in the pesto and season with freshly ground black pepper. Gently stir in the reserved vegetables and cook for a further few minutes, or until the vegetables are heated through.
Serve sprinkled with the toasted pine nuts.

Sausage Stuffed Shoulder of Lamb

This stunning main course is so versatile. Vary it by using different sausages (pork or lamb) and various herbs. While mint makes a marvellous marriage with lamb, rosemary, marjoram, oregano, coriander or parsley could also be used, but then I would exclude the chilli flakes and add ground paprika instead. Fennel seeds give a Middle East flavour, but you could use coriander or cumin seeds instead. Serve with garlicky spinach, with pine nuts and raisins to make it extra special.

Ingredients:

For the lamb:

4 tbsp olive oil 

1 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tsp fennel seeds

pinch chilli flakes

180 g fresh breadcrumbs

30ml fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

500 g sausages, casing removed

1 boneless lamb shoulder

For the spinach:

2 tbsp raisins, soaked in hot water for 15 minutes, drained

2 tbsp olive oil

500 g spinach, stems removed

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tbsp pine nuts, lightly roasted

Method:

For the lamb:

Preheat the oven to 200C. Heat half the oil in a frying pan over a low heat and fry the onion and garlic for 10-15 minutes, or until the onions start to caramelise. Remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl and add the fennel seeds, chilli flakes, breadcrumbs and mint. Mix well, then set aside to cool. Once cooled, mix in the sausage meat and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Place lamb shoulder skin-side down into a roasting tin, season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and spread over the sausage stuffing. Roll up tightly and secure with kitchen string. Rub with the remaining olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast the lamb shoulder for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and toast for a further 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the lamb is tender. Remove from the oven and cover with foil. Set aside to rest for 15 minutes. 

For the spinach:

Soak the raisins in a bowl of water for 15 minutes, then drain. Heat half the olive oil in a large frying pan, add the spinach and cook until the spinach starts to wilt. Remove from the heat and drain the spinach in a colander to get rid of any excess liquid. Return the pan to the heat, add the remaining olive oil and fry the garlic for 1-2 minutes, or until softened but not coloured. Add the spinach back to the pan, along with the pine nuts and soaked raisins. Season to taste with sea salt and cook for a further minute to warm through. To serve, remove the string from the lamb and carve into thick slices. Serve on a bed of the spinach.