ingredients
serves 4 - 6
a breast of lamb (650-700 g approx)
1 medium sized onion (100 g approx)
2 oz (50 g) dripping (fat from roasted meat) or lard or margarine
2 bay leaves
2 cloves
1 blade of mace
6 white peppercorns
salt and pepper
2 cups (500 ml) white stock or water
3 tbsp (25 g) plain flour
500 g creamed potatoes
for the garnish
2 tsp roughly chopped capers
method
1. Wipe the meat, bone it, if not already done by the butcher, and trim off any excess fat.
2. Cut the meat into 5cm squares.
3. Skin and slice the onion.
4. Melt the fat in a stewpan, add the meat, onion, bay leaves, cloves, mace, peppercorns, and salt and pepper to taste.
5. Half cover the pan and cook very gently for about 30 minutes, stirring often.
6. Meanwhile, heat the stock or water to boiling point.
7. Add it to the pan, and simmer, covered, for about l 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender.
8. Blend the flour to a smooth paste with a small quantity of cold water in a saucepan.
9. Strain the liquid from the meat, measure off 250 ml liquid, and gradually stir it into the blended flour.
10. Bring to the boil, stirring all the time, and boil for 2-3 minutes.
11. Add this sauce to the meat and re-heat if necessary.
12. Spoon or pipe the hot creamed potatoes in a border on a warmed serving dish and arrange the meat in the centre.
13. Sprinkle the chopped capers over the meat.
