Aromatic Lamb and Eton Mess


Aromatic Lamb with Dates

1 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

500g diced boneless lamb, from the leg

300g sweet potatoes, cut into small chunks

2 tsp each ground coriander and cinnamon

1 tbsp tomato puree

50g pitted dates

2 tbsp coriander, roughly chopped

Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and lamb. Quickly fry until the lamb is lightly browned. Add the sweet potatoes and spices, mix well. Pour in 425ml boiling water and the tomato puree, then bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for about 15 mins until sweet potatoes and lamb are tender, adding the dates for the final 10 mins. Sprinkle with the coriander and serve with couscous.



Posh Eton Mess

600ml double cream

3 tbsp icing sugar

8 meringue nests

700g strawberries (not large) hulled

200g bar dairy milk chocolate, grated

300g packet chocolate digestive biscuits

75g butter melted

Butter and line the base of a 23cm spring form tin with baking paper. Put the chocolate in the fridge for a while before grating. Prepare all ingredients before making up in tin.

Blitz the chocolate biscuits in a processor, tip crumbs into a bowl. Add butter, mix well and spread into the base of the tin. Level off and pat down with a flat bottom glass. Hull strawberries and cut each one into 4. Divide in half and place in two bowls. In a bowl grate the chocolate and return to the fridge. In a large bowl scrunch up 6 of the meringues. Blitz the other two in the processor.

Using a food mixer or hand mixer with a bowl whip the cream until it forms peaks add the icing sugar and continue to whip until it becomes a little stiff. Tip the cream into the bowl with the meringues and mix well.

Divide cream mixture into two and spread one half onto the biscuits in the tin, level off. Top the cream with one half of the strawberries, level off. Sprinkle half the chocolate over the strawberries. Repeat again with the remaining ingredients, cream, strawberries and chocolate. Sprinkle the blitzed meringues over the top.

Place in the fridge to chill before serving. Run a hot knife around the mess and the outer ring of the tin and unclip. Enjoy!