Ceremonial lamb with broad beans & mint

Method

• step 1

  The day before, pod the beans. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and have ready a bowl of iced water. Drop the beans into the water, return to a rolling boil (2-3 minutes), drain and plunge them into the iced water to cool (about 2 minutes). Drain, then squeeze each one between your thumb and forefinger to skin them. Keep covered in the fridge.

• step 2

  Make the gravy. Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a pan, add the carrot, onion, celery and garlic and brown them for 10-15 minutes. Stir in the sugar and tomato purée and let this brown too, then pour in 4 tbsp vinegar and reduce to a syrupy glaze. Tip in the wine and scrape up all the juices, then add the thyme or rosemary and the stock and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Strain, leave to cool, cover and keep in the fridge.

• step 3

  One and a half hours before serving, preheat the oven to 240C/gas 9/fan 220C. Rub the lamb very well with salt, pepper and the remaining olive oil, then put it on a rack in a heavy roasting tin and roast for about 1 hr 45 mins. Remove the lamb and allow to rest on a board wrapped in foil for at least 30 mins. This will give you lamb that is still slightly pink in the middle. If you prefer your meat well done, cook for 2 hrs, then leave to rest as stated. Test by pushing a skewer into the centre of the meat – the tip should come out cool but not cold. Leave the meat to rest in the oven with the door left open a little and the temperature turned down to 110C/ gas 1⁄4/fan 90C. After 15 minutes the meat should be an even rosy pink.

• step 4

  Melt the butter in a saucepan, add a pinch of sugar, the mint, a good pinch of salt and 1 tsp wine vinegar. Stew for a minute, then tip in the beans and 2-3 tbsp water and stew for 2-3 minutes more.

• step 5

  Reheat the gravy in a saucepan, tipping in any meat juices.

• step 6

  To serve, carve the lamb into thick slices. Put 2-3 slices on each plate with the beans and gravy. Serve with buttered new potatoes.