Rolled Spring Lamb Breast wrapped in Coppa with a Zingy Caper Dressing recipe

I've been cooking lamb breast this way for many years, since our butcher Gwylam of Launde Farm Foods taught me about the brilliance of slow cooking to turn a cheaper cut of meat into a really tasty meal.

After playing around with several recipes, my favourite by far for this time of year is Tom Kerridge's breast of lamb with anchovy and caper dressing. I've adapted it slightly to include an extra element of decadence - wrapped in our coppa, it adds another flavour hit which gives the sliced rolls a beautiful crispy 'skin' when they are panfried just before serving.

The dressing is phenomenal! The depth and earthiness of the lamb (which is even better if you go for an older lamb which has been grass-fed all year round like Gwylam's are) with a zingy, salty, sharp dressing is just brilliant. Now i'm not saying traditional roast lamb and mint sauce isn't delicious, but at this time of year, when we're going into longer days and looking out onto new grass and daffodils, this version just feels Spring like to me!

Perfect for Easter gatherings too as it's so easy to dish up, or even just plonk on the table. Portion-wise I'd suggest 2-3 slices per adult - this recipe made 12 slices from 1 lamb breast.

For Tom's original recipe, go to the BBC website, or keep reading for the Rutland version!

To make

• 1 lamb breast (boned)
• 1 pack of sliced Rutland Charcuterie coppa
• 2 tbsp chopped rosemary
• salt and pepper
• olive oil
• 2 shallots, sliced
• 75g button mushrooms, I like chestnut mushrooms
• 150ml red wine
• 1 pint chicken or lamb stock
• a little plain flour

For the dressing

• 6 anchovies, chopped (jarred or tinned)
• 2 tbsp capers, chopped
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (we like Filipo Berrio)
• 1 tbsp chopped mint
• 1 tbsp chopped parsely
• 1 tbsp chopped tarragon
• 1 red chilli, chopped finely

Preheat the oven to 140C/280F/Gas 1. Lay the breast of lamb out lengthways and score it using a sharp knife. Rub in the chopped rosemary and season with salt and pepper.

Cut in half into two equal pieces. Roll each half tightly like a Swiss roll and tie with string.

In a casserole pan, heat the oil.

Add the shallots to the pan.

Cook until caramelised.

Add the mushrooms and then the wine and stock.

Bring up to the boil and then turn down to a simmer.

Heat a little more oil in another pan and fry the lamb rolls to brown all over, then add them to the stock.

Place a lid on the top and put into the preheated oven to cook for three hours.

Remove from the oven, transfer to a clean bowl and leave to cool to room temperature.

Take out the lamb and carefully remove the string.

Roll both pieces up very tightly in cling film, securing each end with string.

Put them into the fridge to chill for eight hours or overnight.

Pass the sauce through a fine sieve into a saucepan and cook over a medium heat to reduce the stock down to a sauce consistency.

Keep it in the fridge until needed.

Mix all of the dressing ingredients together in a jug and leave to the side.

When ready to serve, remove the clingfilm from the lamb and wrap it in coppa slices - overlapping but not too neat, It will wriggle around a bit until we cook it when the sizzling oil will help it stick as it crisps up.

Reheat the lamb sauce and prepare some spring greens or whatever veg you and yours can agree on.

Heat some olive oil in a pan and fry the lamb for only a few minutes, just until crisp and brown all over.

Serve the lamb discs dressed and offer the veg and gravy on the side.

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