The Alsreford Watercress Festival Recipes

Creamed Potato:

• 1 medium potato
• Small handful of small watercress leaves
  stalks removed
• Small handful of small of wild garlic
  leaves
• 30g unsalted butter at room temperature
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• Pinch salt
• Pinch pepper

Glazed Carrot:

• 1 medium carrot
• 1 tsp honey
• ¼ tsp orange zest
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Pinch salt
• Pinch pepper
• Sprig of Watercress for garnish

 Method:

1. Preheat Oven to 200°C (185°C degrees for fan assisted)
2. Score the lamb skin in a criss-cross pattern, rub in salt and pepper to season.
3. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan that can go from hob to oven over a high heat and brown the lamb on all sides turning with your tongs.
   (approx.5mins)
4. Place the pan with lamb skin side up into the hot oven. Set a timer for 12 mins
5. Half fill a medium pan with water, add a pinch of salt and bring to boil, then take down to simmer.
6. Peel the potatoes and cut into roughly 4cm cubes. Place in simmering waterand cover. Set your timer for 10 mins.
7. Roughly chop garlic and watercress together. Blitz with a blender along with paprika, lemon zest and pinch of salt and pepper. When this is a smooth paste add the breadcrumbs and finally the almonds mix to loose paste, using a little olive oil if the texture is a little dry.
8. Remove lamb from the oven and set on a heat proof surface. Brush the lamb with the mustard, holding with tongs. Leave for 2mins.
9. Test potatoes with a fork, this should give little resistance. If ready, drain and set aside on the hot hob but with heat off with the lid off to allow any moisture to steam off.
10. Over a fresh plate take your lamb and push crust onto the meat, use your clean hands and try to cover the whole lamb. Place crusted lamb back into the skillet and replace in the oven. Set your timer for 20 mins
11. Add butter to potatoes and mash to cream. Add the watercress leaves and wild garlic, stir through until the leaves wilt and darken. Set aside.
12. Cut the carrot into batons approx 1cm thick and 6cm long. In a mixing bowl add the honey, orange zest and olive oil, salt and pepper, gently mix so all batons are covered. Lay out on a baking sheet so that they are even and not touching. Place in the hot oven. Set a timer for 10 mins
13. Remove the lamb from the oven and allow to rest for 10 mins before slicing and arranging over the creamed potatoes with carrots on the side and a sprig of Watercress for garnish.

Equipment required:

• Saucepan
• Mini food processor or blender
• Whisk (Electric if you can)
• Metal spoon
• 2 mixing bowls
• Small bowl
• Individual ramekins or pots if you can to chill

 Method:

1. Place the gelatine leaf into a bowl with cold water and let it sit for 5 mins.
2. Top the strawberries and place into a food processor with 1 tsp of sugar and lemon juice and blitz (or place into a saucepan with a tbsp of water and gently cook until soft enough to mash).
3. Place the strawberry mixture into a saucepan and heat over a medium heat until darker in colour and slightly thickened.  Take off the heat and stir in the squeezed out gelatine leaf until it melts into the mixture.  Leave to cool a little.
4. Lightly whip the cream until it is no longer liquid, has thickened and increased in volume slightly and will just hold its shape if you lift the whisk out of the cream.
5. Whisk the eggs whites until stiff (the peak should not fold over when you lift the whisk out). Gradually beat in the sugar until glossy.
6. Add the strawberry mixture to the cream and stir through.  Once pink and evenly combined add in the egg white mixture, watercress and black pepper and stir through but don’t over mix.
7. Spoon into individual serving dishes and decorate as desired. 
8. Chill in the fridge until it is time to serve.