INGREDIENTS (Serves 8)

1 saddle of lamb weighing about 3kg (6lb)

3 cloves garlic; cut into slivers

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 cup beef stock

1 cup madeira

FOR TOMATOES

8 medium tomatoes, peeled

Salt and freshly ground pepper

30g (1oz) butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

125g (4oz) mushrooms, finely chopped

3 tablespoons finely chopped parsely

METHOD

Cut tiny slits all over lamb, and insert slivers of garlic. Rub with salt and pepper. Place meat (back side upwards) on a greased baking dish, and bake in a preheated moderate oven (180oC) for 1 1/2 hours. Pour off all fat that has accumulated in the dish, and place lamb directly in dish. Pour stock over and bake for a further 20 minutes, basting two or three times with the stock. Remove lamb to a heated platter and allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving. Skim as much fat as possible from the liquid in the baking dish. Strain into a small saucepan, and taste for seasoning. Add the madeira. Reheat and serve as gravy with the lamb.

For tomatoes, cut a lid from each, scoop out flesh with a teaspoon and chop flesh roughly. Season tomato shells with salt and pepper. Heat butter and fry onion and mushrooms until onion is soft and liquid has evaporated. Add tomato and cook another minute. Stir in parsely and salt and pepper to taste and spoon into tomato shells.

Bake for 20 minutes with the lamb, and keep warm while lamb is resting.