Rolled Breast of Lamb on a Bed of Fennel and Onion

For years I have followed the British celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and his TV series River Cottage, about his small organic farm and its restaurant. Part of Hugh's philosophy is that of an animal raised to be eaten, everything fit for food is used, as thoroughly as possible. That is why he often cooks cheap and forgotten cuts. Breast of lamb is just such a cut. I read that it comes from the same part of the animal as pork belly, and that long, slow cooking makes it just as tender.

In Britain lamb breast is cheap, but in Finland I once again had to take my special request to Reinin Liha, the butcher in Helsinki's Hakaniemi market hall, where I have been getting the more unusual cuts for years. The very handsome piece of lamb breast they ordered in for me cost 17 euros a kilo, which was not exactly cheap. But the meat had been very well trimmed, boneless and almost free of fat. There was practically no waste weight at all, which of course makes it better value.

What drew me to this dish above all was the picture of it in a cookbook. I love long-braised meat dishes more than anything, so on that count too the appeal was guaranteed. Osso buco is my favourite of them, and I made it only a week ago.

The rolls are filled with seasoned breadcrumbs bound with egg. I first sweated shallots in butter over a gentle heat without letting them brown, and when they had turned sweet I took the pan off the hob. Into them I mixed plenty of fresh breadcrumbs, the chopped apricots and the lemon zest. For the crumbs a little less than one baguette, dried in the oven, was enough, and it made stuffing for three rolls. In the picture the stuffing is still in the pan, with yellow shreds of lemon zest showing clearly.

I salted and peppered the meat and spread the mixture over the uneven side of each breast. I left a little room at the edges and at the far end of the future roll, so that the stuffing would not squeeze out. I rolled the breasts up starting from the narrower end and tied each one tightly with cotton string in three places.

First I roasted the rolls at 200 degrees for half an hour. Then I laid fennel cut into six wedges and onions cut into quarters in the bottom of the dish, put the rolls back on top of them and turned the heat down to 160-175 degrees. Cooking takes two to three hours, turning the rolls now and then. If the vegetables give off no liquid at all, a little white wine or stock goes in, and dry vermouth is splendid here. If the meat browns too much it is covered with foil. Under the fat and meat juices the fennel softens and turns sweet, and the red onions darken almost to black at the edges.

When the meat is tender, the rolls are wrapped in foil to rest for 15-20 minutes. Cut into thick slices, they are served at once, preferably on hot plates, with the roasted vegetables. Lamb fat sets very quickly, so the cut slices must not be left standing on the table; call everyone to the table straight away.

Recipe card

Rolled Breast of Lamb on a Bed of Fennel and Onion

Print

• 3 rolls
• Roasting 200 °C, 30 min
• Braising 160-175 °C, 2-3 hours
• Resting 15-20 min in foil

You will need

	boneless lamb breast
	salt and pepper
	cotton string

Stuffing

	shallots
	butter
a little less than 1	baguette, dried in the oven and made into crumbs
	apricots, chopped
	grated zest of lemon
	egg to bind

Bed

	fennel bulbs
	onions
	(white wine, dry vermouth, or meat or chicken stock)

Method

1. Sweat the shallots in butter, but do not let them brown. When they have turned sweet over a gentle heat, take the pan off the hob.
2. Mix in plenty of fresh breadcrumbs, the chopped apricots and the lemon zest.
3. Salt and pepper the meat and spread the mixture over the uneven side of each breast, leaving a little room at the edges and at the far end of the future roll.
4. Roll up, starting from the narrower end, and tie tightly with cotton string in three places.
5. Heat the oven to 200 °C and arrange the rolls in an ovenproof dish. Roast them for half an hour and take them out of the oven.
6. Cut the fennel into six wedges and the onions into quarters and lay them in the bottom of the dish. Put the rolls back on top of the vegetables.
7. Turn the oven down to 160-175 °C. Cook for 2-3 hours, turning the rolls now and then. If the vegetables give off no liquid at all, add a little white wine (dry vermouth works very well) or meat or chicken stock. If the meat browns too much, cover it with foil.
8. When the meat is tender, wrap the rolls in foil and let them rest for 15-20 minutes.
9. Cut the rolls into thick slices and serve at once, preferably on hot plates, with the roasted vegetables.