Tynedale chefs have shown their support for British Lamb Week, from September 1 to 7, by tempting us with their favourite recipes.

B UILT as a farmhouse in 1718, the Lion and Lamb, in Horsley, was converted into a coaching inn a couple of decades later. It has been a stopping off point for food and ale ever since and 250 years on, head chef Gavin Knight is very aware of the weight of history.

After 12 years in post, he knows what his customers like. “I stick with traditional favourites and I don’t go over the top,” he said. “I’ve got a lamb dish on now that’s my best-seller – a pan-fried rump of lamb served with spring greens and a goat’s cheese mash.

“I go and look at what other places are doing and I try different things, but I know what sells and that’s simple, high quality, home-cooked food.”

All of his ingredients are sourced locally; his meat from two local farms, eggs from Matfen and sausages from the Northumberland Sausage Company.

His favourite lamb recipe is crispy lamb belly on a bed of tzatziki dressed salad. 

Ingredients:

1.35kg/ 3lb piece lamb belly;

2 carrots;

2 onions;

1 sprig of thyme;

280ml/half-pint of chicken stock;

1tbsp Worcestershire sauce;

1 glass white wine;

Salt & freshly ground black pepper;

2 free range eggs;

340g/12oz fresh white breadcrumbs;

seasoned flour (3 tbsp flour, pinch salt & pepper, 2 tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp ground coriander, 1 pinch chilli).

For the salad accompaniment:

Baby gem lettuce;

Red onion, thinly sliced;

Cucumber, de-seeded & sliced;

Fresh mint;

Cherry tomatoes.

For the tzatziki dressing:

350g Greek yoghurt.

1 cucumber.

Juice of half a lemon.

2 cloves of garlic, pureed.

1 tbsp of white wine vinegar.

Chopped fresh mint.

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 160C/325F/gas mark 2.

Cut the carrots into quarters length-ways and the onion into quarters and put them, along with the lamb, into an oven-proof dish with a tight fitting lid. Add the thyme, chicken stock, Worcestershire sauce and the wine. Season and cover with lid. Cook for 3 hours, basting every 30 minutes and turning the meat regularly, after which it should be completely tender.

Remove from oven and allow to rest. After 15 minutes, remove meat from stock. Pull out bones and cartilage. Loosely wrap in clingfilm and put between two trays, with a weight on top. Put in the fridge and leave overnight.

Remove from the clingfilm and cut into strips. Beat eggs in a clean bowl. Put seasoned flour in a separate bowl and breadcrumbs in a third. Dip strips into flour, then egg mixture and finally breadcrumbs. Deep fry strips until golden.

To make the tzatziki dressing, peel, de-seed cucumber and grate cucumber and then put it in a tea towel and squeeze out the excess liquid. Add in the other ingredients and mix.

Dress the salad with the tzatziki dressing and place the crispy lamb strips on top. Finish with freshly chopped mint.