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Midweek supper

Jean-Christophe Novelli from Food Uncut
For a special midweek supper, try Jean Christophe Nouvelli`s irresistible slow-braised parcels of lamb, boulangere potatoes and red Leicester cheese

Midweek supper

Method

1. First of all, make the potatoes. Pre-heat the oven to 220C/gas 8.

2. Heat the butter in a frying pan and fry the onions for 3-4 minutes, until softened.

3. Place the onions and potato slices into a large bowl and mix them together, keeping a handful of potatoes back to dress the top layer later.

4. Season the mixture and pack into an earthenware dish. Dress the top layer with reserved potatoes, overlapping them to form a nice pattern.

5. Carefully pour hot stock over potatoes and onions and place in a preheated oven for 20 minutes, until the potatoes begin to colour.

6. Reduce the oven temperature to 200°C/gas 6 and cook for a further 40 minutes, or until potatoes are soft. Press down with a spatula occasionally to allow even cooking. Leave to cool.

7. Season the lamb steaks and grill for 3-4 minutes each side. Place in the refrigerator to chill.

8. Using a pastry cutter, cut 4 circles out of the boulangere potatoes and sit one on each lamb steak.

9. Place a slice of red Leicester cheese on top of each potato circle.

10. Wrap each in a blanched cabbage leaf.

11. Meanwhile heat the stock in a small roasting tray and place parcels in it. The stock should be covering one third of each steak.

12. Place the rosemary and thyme sprigs in the pan and put the final slice of cheese on top of each parcel.

13. Braise in the oven for 1 hour, basting every five minutes to prevent the cabbage from drying out.

14. Remove parcels from oven and place in warmed dish. A small amount of cooking liquor can be passed over the parcels to keep them moist. Cover with foil or cling film to keep moist.

15. Reduce the remaining cooking liquor slightly and season to taste. Serve the parcels with mashed potato and spoon the cooking liquor around.

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Serves: 4

Prep: 45 min
Cook: 1 hr 55 min

Ingredients

For the potatoes

25g unsalted Butter
2 Onions, peeled and sliced
675g Potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
450ml hot chicken stock

For the lamb

4 boneless lamb leg steaks, about each 200g
4 large Savoy cabbage leaves, blanched in salted water and refreshed
8 slices Red Leicester cheese, each about 50g
½ litres dark chicken stock
3-4 sprigs Rosemary
2-3 sprigs Thyme