Lemon and Rosemary Braised Lamb Breast

Cheap cuts of meat packed with flavour and treated with care are hard to beat – Martin Shanahan shows how simple it can be with his stuffed and braised lamb breast.

Lamb

3 pieces boneless lamb breast, 500g each, 1.5kg in total (ask your local butcher)

4 cloves garlic, crushed

zest of 3 lemons

9 anchovy fillets, chopped

3 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

olive oil

kitchen string

Sauce (braising liquid)

1 onion, sliced

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon capers

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ cup Kalamata olives

1 x 400 gram tin Italian  tomatoes

2 cups white wine

1 x 26cm heavy-based saucepan

Lamb: Place each breast of lamb on a chopping board skin side down and season with salt and pepper.

Combine the garlic, lemon zest, anchovies and rosemary with a splash of olive oil in a bowl. Spread the mixture evenly over the three breasts and massage it in. Carefully roll each breast up and tie with kitchen string at each end and in the middle.

Preheat the oven to 170°C.

Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in the saucepan over a medium heat and brown the rolled breasts on all sides. Set aside. Do not wash the pan. 

Sauce: Place the onion, garlic and capers in the saucepan and cook for 5 minutes until they start to caramelize. Add the olives, oregano, tomatoes and wine with 3-4 good grinds of pepper.

Place the lamb breasts in the pot and bring to the boil. Cover (leaving the lid slightly ajar for steam to escape) and place in the oven. Cook for 2-2.5 hours until the meat is tender and the sauce has reduced to a nice thick consistency.

To serve: Remove the lamb from the pot and remove the string. Slice carefully and serve with the sauce. Delicious served on a bed of Parmesan polenta or creamy mashed potatoes.
Serves 4