Peas. Broad beans. Mangetouts. All green in their greenness. While we may not get summer weather, we do at least get summer vegetables; though pea pods are technically a fruit and peas the seed of that fruit.
How and ever they are divine eaten raw, straight from the pod. Their shoots and flowers are also exceptional. Imagine a simple green bean salad with fresh goat’s curd. All thrown together with efficient ease and dressed with a nutty rapeseed oil and a nice cider vinegar: curd, peas, shoots and flowers. Season with a little flaky sea salt.
Another great accompaniment to all those peas and beans is lamb. Here I am thinking specifically of the often underused lamb rump. We have such good grass-fed lamb all over the country. Go in search of your local farmer or butcher for the choicest cuts.
A good lump of lamb rump is not difficult to cook but it does take patience. The key to cooking it well is in the resting. After seasoning and browning on all sides with some oil and butter, place in 180C for 8-10 minutes. Then remove and rest for 10 minutes, leaving it in a warm place.
While your lamb is cooking you need to blanch your greens. Drop a good knob of butter and pinch of salt into a small pot of boiling water. Blanch all the greens separately for one minute each: no more. I’d start with the broad beans first because they need to be shelled. I’d also use a small blanching basket as it’s easier to remove them from the water.
When all your greens are to your satisfaction, season and keep warm. Take your well-rested lamb and carve. Allow to relax before you place it on to the plate. Scatter your greens over the plate and arrange the lamb around the greens.
Because of the season, I’d garnish with some wild garlic seed heads and the flowers of three-cornered leeks. Come to think of it, a dollop of goat’s curd would finish things nicely.
