Braised baby gem and peas topped with Saint Agur

Smoky pancetta, sweet peas and earthy lettuce, all topped with creamy and salty Saint Agur blue cheese – this springtime side dish is an ideal accompaniment to a roast dinner– in particular a nice slow-braised leg of lamb.

First published in 2020

This is one of our favourite things to do with baby gem lettuce! Charring and then braising brings out a whole new flavour profile from what you're used to from a lettuce; nutty, sweet and a melt-in-the-mouth texture. Salty, crispy pancetta or bacon complements it wonderfully but can of course be omitted if preferred.

We'd highly recommend serving with a slow-braised leg or shoulder of lamb, then use the resulting lamb stock to braise the baby gem in. A perfect springtime feast.

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Method

1
Drizzle a small amount of oil into a large nonstick frying pan and add the lardons. Cook until caramelised and starting to go crispy
2
Push the lardons to one side of the pan and add the baby gems, cut-side down. Brown on each side for a few minutes
3
Once browned, add the warm stock and peas and leave to simmer for 10 minutes over a low heat
4
After 10 minutes, stir in the fresh chopped mint and take off the heat
5
Transfer to a serving platter and crumble over the Saint Agur blue cheese to finish

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