Lamb rump with liquorice and spinach

Put the liquorice in a small bowl of warm water and leave to soak for 1 hour, or until it is soft enough to bend easily. Working from the centre of the root towards the ends, peel away the dark outer layer, reserving the peelings. Cut the root lengthways into quarters and set aside

Trim the rumps of any excess skin, scoring the fat lightly, then cut a hole in the centre of each rump. Use each stick of liquorice to skewer the lamb rumps through their centre

Cover the skewered rumps with the liquorice peelings. Tightly wrap each rump in cling film and secure the ends, then place in the fridge overnight to marinate

The next day, preheat an oven to 140°C/gas mark 1 and place an ovenproof casserole dish or frying pan over a medium heat. Add a generous splash of olive oil and the butter. Once foaming, unwrap the lamb rumps, season with salt and pepper then add to the pan fat-side down

Cook for a few minutes until golden brown, then turn and cook on all sides until well seared

Transfer to the oven to finish cooking for a final 8 minutes. If you like your lamb less pink, you can then turn the oven up to 180°C/gas mark 4 and cook for a further 4 minutes. Once cooked to your liking, lift the rumps out of the pan and leave to rest on a plate

While the lamb rests, add the chicken or lamb stock to the pan the lamb was cooked in and gently simmer to create a simple jus

Wilt the spinach very lightly in a frying pan with a dash of oil

To serve, add a small nest of spinach to each plate. Carve the lamb rumps into slices, then arrange on top. Finish with a spoonful of the jus