A leg of lamb may be the custom for an Easter dinner but there’s no reason not to mix it up a little this year.
Swapping slow-roasted cooking methods for searing opens up many new recipes, including this delicious Wellington.
Sharing her recipe exclusively with Express.co.uk, Welsh chef Anna Evans explained exactly how to make the flavoursome dish.
As the Head Chef of The Potted Lobster, Abersoch, Anna oversees menu creation and produce sourcing at the restaurant on the picturesque Llyn Peninsula.
Anna is passionate about the produce of Wales and celebrates the final regional ingredients in her dishes, making this the ultimate seasonal meal for the Easter period.
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C then take a large frying pan and set it over medium heat on the hob. Heat the oil and half the butter in the pan then set the lamb on a plate and season well with salt and pepper.
Sear the lamb loin on all sides until nicely brown, then set aside to cool. Next, put the chopped mushrooms, garlic and shallots in a food processor and blitz until finely chopped.
Fry in the remaining butter, adding the thyme leaves then season with salt to draw moisture from the mushrooms. According to Anna, it’s best to remove this mixture from the heat when soft.
Lay a sheet of clingfilm on a flat surface, layer the three crepes first, overlapping each other, then layer prosciutto on top of the crepes and then spoon the mushroom mixture onto it in a rectangle. Brush the French mustard all over the lamb, and lay the lamb on top of the mushrooms, in a line along the length of the rectangle.
Use the clingfilm to wrap the crepes around the lamb and create a sausage shape. Twist the ends to seal and leave in the fridge to cool and set slightly, for at least 30 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry into a large rectangle until it’s about 0.5cm thick (one-quarter of an inch). Carefully remove the clingfilm from the Wellington and lay it on the pastry.
Brush the edges of the pastry with the beaten egg, then fold the pastry edges over the top of the beef. Turn the Wellington over so the join is underneath and place it on an oiled baking tray.
Anna said: “If you want to be fancy, decorate the outside of the Wellington with pastry trimmings and brush with the remaining egg.”
Finally, bake the Wellington for 15 minutes then check the interior temperature with a meat thermometer – for medium lamb you will probably want it to be about 50C-55C. Make sure your lamb rests for at least 10 minutes before carving.
