There’s nothing better than spring lamb, and this retro lamb recipe is sure to conjure up feelings of nostalgia with a delicious white pudding stuffing and crisp puff pastry.

Ingredients:

– 400g Irish Lamb Loin
– 6”X6” sheet puff pastry

For the stuffing
-30g breadcrumbs, toasted
-10g Mint
-150g Tom Doherty’s white pudding
-10g Thyme
-1 egg yolk

For the honey and mint jus
-300ml lamb or beef stock
-100ml red wine
-20g redcurrant jelly
-10g honey

Method:

1. Season and sear the lamb loin a hot pan.
2. Roll out the puff pastry very thinly.
3. Blitz all the stuffing ingredients in a blender.
4. Layer the stuffing on to the pastry and spread, placing the seared loin on top.
5. Roll and tuck the ends of the pastry to seal.
6. Place on a buttered and floured baking tray.
7. Bake at 180C for 15 minutes for medium.
8. Leave to rest and cut off the pastry at the ends before cutting in half to serve.
9. Reduce the jus ingredients in a pan until you reach the desired consistency and serve with the sliced lamb, with new season asparagus and fondant potato, if desired.

The Vanilla Pod (familiarly known as ‘The Pod’) is the restaurant of the Headfort Arms Hotel in Kells. The restaurant has very much its own identity and this is one of the marvels of its fifteen year success on the Boyne Valley dining scene. A look at the menu reveals the kitchens commitment to food provenance, the rich band of exciting Boyne Valley Producers and the seasons of their produce.

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