Celebrate the inaugural Dylan Thomas Night with leg of Welsh Lamb stuffed with Caerphilly cheese and Blas Y Tir potatoes
ABERYSTWYTH, United Kingdom, 26th October 2016 — Welsh Lamb is looking to celebrate the works of the great Welsh poet Dylan Thomas this year on the occasion of his birthday, the 27th October. Poetry and food fans are being invited to eat a fantastic meal of Welsh produce, as well as create their own poetry in honour of Thomas.
PGI Welsh Lamb ‘llambassador’ and Welsh TV chef Elwen Roberts has crafted a special recipe for the occasion — a boneless leg of Welsh Lamb stuffed with Caerphilly cheese, garlic and herbs, seasoned with Halen Môn (Anglesey Sea Salt) and served with Blas Y Tir Rudolph potatoes.
The inaugural ‘Dylan Thomas Night’ will also be marked with a competition inviting people to submit their own ode to Thomas via social media. Entries must be 140 characters or fewer, and can be submitted to Welsh Lamb via facebook.com/WelshLamb or Twitter @WelshLamb_PGI using the hashtag #DylanNight. The best poem will be judged on its likeness to Thomas’ verse and its celebration of the themes of land and food (if possible within 140 characters!), with its writer winning a hamper including a boneless leg of Welsh Lamb to create their own Welsh feast.
Elwen Roberts commented, “Of course the Scots have Burns Night, celebrating their nation’s most famous poet on his birthday, and we think that Dylan Thomas is every bit as great, whilst Welsh food is every bit as tasty! So why not celebrate the great man, and author of ‘On His Birthday’, on his birthday?”
“The recipe we’ve created is a merging of various kinds of fantastic Welsh produce, all of which is seasonal, with the lamb perfectly complimented by the Caerphilly cheese and Blas Y Tir potatoes whilst the Halen Môn salt brings out all of the flavours.”
Recipe: Boneless leg of Welsh Lamb stuffed with Caerphilly cheese and Blas Y Tir potatoes
Ingredients
● 1kg (2.2lb) boneless leg Welsh lamb
● 15ml (1tbsp) olive oil
● 1 onion, roughly chopped
● 2 cloves garlic, crushed
● 1 sprig fresh rosemary, sage and tarragon, chopped
● A pinch of Halen Môn (Anglesey Sea Salt)
● 100g (4oz) Caerphilly or similar cheese, crumbled
● 900g Blas Y Tir Rudolph potatoes
● 4 fresh beetroots, scrubbed & cut in half
● 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
Method
1. Preheat oven to Gas 4, 180ºC, 350ºF.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add onion and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened, but not browned. Add chopped herbs and stir.
3. Place boneless leg of lamb on a board and open out to flatten.
4. Spoon into the centre of the cavity the onion mixture and crumbled cheese. Spread out but not quite to the edges. Roll joint up and tie with heatproof string.
5. Weigh the joint and work out the cooking time: Medium - 25 minutes per 450g/½kg (1lb) plus 25 minutes Well done - 30 minutes per 450g/½kg (1lb) plus 30 minutes
6. Place in a roasting pan (any leftover stuffing place on the bottom of the pan under the joint), season with salt and drizzle with oil. Roast, basting occasionally.
7. 40-50 minutes before the end of cooking time add potatoes, beetroot wedges and rosemary sprigs, season with more salt and toss in the juices.
8. Serve joint thickly sliced with roasted potatoes and beetroot.
