Ingredients

• 2 loins of lamb
• boned
• weighing 600g/1lb 4oz in total
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 rashers smoked streaky bacon
• diced
• 1 onion
• diced
• 500ml/1lb 2fl oz lamb stock
• 110g/4oz peas
• cooked
• 50g/2oz butter
• 1 Little Gem lettuce
• shredded
• 1 sprig mint

Directions

• For the lamb
• preheat the oven to 160C/325F/Gas 3.
• Season the lamb well with salt and pepper.
• Place a heavy-based
• oven-proof frying pan over a medium heat. When it is hot
• add one tablespoon of the vegetable oil.
• Put the lamb into the pan and colour it all over
• turning it so that all sides brown evenly. Don’t rush this
• the dish will have much more flavour and a deeper colour if you take your time.
• Transfer the lamb
• in the frying pan
• to the oven
• and bake for 8-10 minutes.
• Remove the lamb from the oven
• take it out of the frying pan and set aside to rest for 10-15 minutes.
• In another frying pan over a medium heat
• add the remaining vegetable oil and fry the bacon until crisp and golden-brown.
• Add the chopped onion and cook for a further two minutes. Then pour over the lamb stock to cover the bacon and onion and bring to the boil.
• Add the peas
• butter
• the lettuce and the mint
• and season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for a minute or two until the lettuce is cooked.
• To serve
• slice the lamb
• pour the pea
• bacon and pesto mixture into a large bowl or individual serving dishes
• and arrange the lamb slices on top.