Loin of Lamb with honey and ginger

Serves 4

 

0.5 to 1 kilo of loin of lamb boned but with fat on.

3 tablespoonfuls olive oil

3 tablespoonfuls runny honey

2 cloves garlic peeled and cut into slivers

1" piece fresh ginger peeled and cut into slivers

(or 2 or 3 pieces stem ginger cut into slivers)

12 shallots peeled ,but kept whole

 

The loin is the eye of the lamb chop and normally when roasting I would remove the bones and all fat, but for this dish keep as much fat as possible on.

 

Cut slits all round the meat and insert a sliver alternately of garlic and ginger into these slits. Rub all over with olive oil and allow to stand in a dish to marinate for a few hours

 

For the sauce; bring a quarter pint of white wine to the boil and reduce by half. Add the leftover ginger slivers and 1 spoonful of honey and simmer to a light syrup. Season to taste and put to one side.

Heat oven to 230C. Place lamb in foil covered roasting dish. Cover with remaining honey and oil and season with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Add the shallots to the dish and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. This should blacken the fat but keep the flesh pink. Timings can be varied to suit individual preferences

Allow lamb to rest for 5 minutes. Add the juices from the lamb to the sauce and heat through.

Serve sliced with the shallots and sauce. Batons of carrots and parsnip would go well as would either creamy garlic potatoes or a  potato and olive oil mash flavoured with thyme. Definitely not for those on a diet of any sort , but, very, very tasty.