Slow cooked leg of Scottish Border lamb with red wine ,fresh mint,tomatoes and bacon

I don't get to see much television but I was able to see the Great British Menu the other night where Tony Singh from Olorosso in Edinburgh was competing against Head chef  Michael Smith from The award winning Three Chimneys on the Isle of Skye. They both did a marvellous job and it was real boys banter in the kitchen ................lol. Goodness gracious I wonder if they were told to behave like that or it just came naturally!  Michael did a wonderful barbeque for the table where he cooked three types of lamb and served lit with Asparagus and it looked great with heather in the presentation. Tony did fabulous Langoustines and presented them beautifully with a marvellous arrangement of tiered  plates( like a huge cake stand)  with a divers helmet at the top.. It was such a pity they couldn't mix the two menu's for the peoples banquet as they were both equally as good.

Lamb is our best seller in the evening, without a shadow of a doubt, we put this dish on the menu and it sells straight away.

We take a stunning leg of lamb and cut it into large 2 inch peices then pan fry it so that is is brown and sealed. We fry some onion and bacon add some tomatoes ,herbs and wine,redcurrent jelly  etc and cook in a gentle oven for 3 hours. It is absolutly  devine but it all depends on the quality of lamb you start with. Remember 90% of great cooking is good shopping.. Buy the best from a local producer and you will be able to talk about the  history and what the lamb is fed on and because it  has cost  alot of money( as it is going to be much more expensive than supermarket lamb) you will cook it with great care and attention which is what I try and teach in my kitchen.