Lamb Heart

An old fashioned ingredient much loved by our restaurant community, lamb heart is milder in flavour than anticipated and more akin to a steak than other lamb offal.

Excellent sliced thinly and seared or barbecued and served pink, another classic preparation is stuffed and slow-cooked for richer, deeper flavours and fall-apart texture.

Swaledale lambs roam freely on the Yorkshire Dales grazing on the grasses, wildflowers and herbs that are particular to our area and produce lamb renowned for its exceptional eating qualities.

Valentine Warner inspires:
"Dare I say that foolish are those who overlook such available and valuable joys as the lamb heart. This is good lean meat that is very easy to cook either quickly or as a slow braise. Cheap too - they certainly extend the kitchen budget. 

My 3 favourite ways are:

1. Light the charcoal, then thinly slice and skewer the lamb heart. Lightly oil then dust with cumin, cayenne pepper, a little cinnamon pepper and sea salt.
   
   Grill until rare but coloured on the outside and eat with a fresh mint, parsley and tomato salad and some sweet and tender, thinly sliced white onion dressed in a little white vinegar. Flat bread, yoghurt maybe and certainly chilli sauce must be seen nearby too. Changing the spices towards a Mexican leaning and this makes for a good filling with corn tortillas all daubed with a sour green salsa.
   
   
2. Stuff the hearts with stale bread mixed with herbs, spices and cooked onion. Add a little wine or cider to a heavy small casserole. Braise the lamb hearts until tender with only a little liquid remaining and the hearts browned from the cooking. Eat with a good rich and buttery mashed potato.
   
   
3. Treat as you would beef and make a dark and hot vindaloo, in fact I prefer using heart to stewing beef!"