Mothers' Day lunch

Because me own mother will be away on actual Mothers' Day, we had a special lunch for her today. The menu was:

• Leek, sage and chevre tart with a bitter salad
• Pan-fried lamb with white beans
• Muscatelles and dark chocolate

I wanted something lightish, autumnal and French-Italian. I think the idea was good, but the execution left something to be desired. Something seemed... lacking, somehow.

Recipe for the tarts to come.

The lamb was done thus: 400g of dried broad beans, soaked overnight and then simmered for about half an hour or until tender. Add some chopped garlic, olive oil, anchovies, rosemary, lemon juice, lemon zest, white pepper, salt and creme fraiche. Spoon onto serving plates and top with some thick slices of lamb backstrap, marinated for an hour in a little olive oil and lemon juice, then grilled in a hot pan for 3 minutes per side. Wrap the lamb in foil and let it rest for ten minutes before slicing. Grate some more lemon zest over the whole plate and sprinkle with some fresh thyme or oregano.

Dessert was some lovely dried muscatelle grapes, and a hacked-up giant slab of Lindt couverture dark chocolate, served on a rustic old board. Feast on Fruit has the chocolate and the grapes came from the fruit shop next to Carina Meats on Stanley Road.