• 225 g (8 oz) button mushrooms
  • 75 g (3 oz) butter or margarine
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 125 g (4 oz) spinach leaves
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 boned and rolled loins of lamb, about 700 g ( 1 1/2 lb) each
  • freshly grated nutmeg
  • 15 ml (1 tbsp) chopped thyme or 10 ml (2 tsp) dried
  • grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
  • thyme sprigs, to garnish

Finely chop the mushrooms. Melt 25 g (1 oz) butter in a saute pan and add the mushrooms and garlic. Cook, stirring, over a high heat for 4-5 minutes or until the mushrooms are well reduced and all the excess liquid has evaporated. Leave to cool.

Blanch the spinach in boiling salted water for 10-15 seconds or until just beginning to wilt. Drain well. Separate the leaves out on to absorbent kitchen paper, then leave to cool.

Unroll the loins of lamb and line the insides with cold spinach. Spoon the mushroom mixture along the middle of each joint. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, then re-roll the joints and tie securely with fine string. Beat the remaining butter with the thyme, lemon rind and 30 ml (2 tbsp) lemon juice. Spread all over the lamb.

Place the lamb joints in a roasting tin and cook at 220°C (425°F) mark 7 for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C (350°F) mark 4 and cook for a further 30 minutes. Serve the lamb carved into thin slices, garnished with thyme sprigs.

note: The timing given here produces a moist, tender joint with just a hint of pink in the middle. If you like your lamb well done, allow an additional 10 minutes.

Cal/Serv: 700