The Village Kitchen

Breast of lamb with prune and apple stuffing

300ml / 0.5 pint butterbeans, to serve

450 g / 1 lb breast of lamb

Boiling water

125 g / 4 oz bacon rashers

1 lemon

1 onion

A bunch of sweet herbs, such as thyme, parsley, marjoram, rosemary, mint

Stock

2 tablespoons of dried breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon of cornflour

A little gravy browning (optional)

Salt and pepper

1. Cover butterbeans with water and soak over night.

2. Remove skin from lamb. Put meat in a pan of boiling water and simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Lay meat in cold water.

4. Take rinds of bacon rashers and cut into smaller pieces.

5. Use half the bacon to line a small stew pan.

6. Slice lemon thinly and lay over bacon.

7. Place lamb on top of bacon and lemon and lay rest of bacon over it.

8. Chop onion coarsely and add with the herbs and enough stock just to cover (use liquid from boiling meat).

9. Bring to boil and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

10. Remember to put butterbeans on to cook (in the water they have soaked in) 40 minutes before dish is to be served.

11. Put lamb on to a warmed dish, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and keep hot.

12. Strain stock left in stew pan.

13. Blend cornflour with 2 tablespoons of cold water and stir into stock. Put over a low heat and stir as it thickens.

14. Colour the gravy with a little gravy browning and season to taste with salt and pepper.

15. Put butterbeans around the meat and serve the gravy separately.

40 g / 1.5 oz margarine

50 g / 2 oz cooked prunes

1 apple

125 g / 4 oz fresh wholemeal or white breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon of chopped parsley

A small pinch of mixed herbs

Salt and pepper

1. Melt the margarine.

2. Chop the prunes, removing stones.

3. Grate or chop the apple

4. Mix all the ingredients, binding with melted margarine.