warm salad of watercress, citrus & spring lamb

serves 4

This salad is spring on a plate: the zing of citrus combines with the peppery, mustardy taste of raw watercress leaves, which complements the seared lamb. For the tenderest results, try spring lamb (three to ten months old) or milk-fed lamb (generally under eight weeks of age).

dressing

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 clove garlic, crushed

½ teaspoon honey

2 teaspoons walnut oil

1½ tablespoons olive oil

300 g/10½ ounces lamb tenderloins

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 oranges

1 small pink grapefruit

3 large handfuls watercress, washed and sorted

½ small red onion, finely sliced

To make the dressing, put all the ingredients in a small bowl, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and whisk to combine.

Cut the lamb tenderloins in half and season with freshly ground black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over high heat and cook the lamb for 3–4 minutes or until browned, turning once or twice. Season with salt and remove from the heat.

Peel the oranges and grapefruit, removing all the white pith. Holding them over a bowl to catch the juice, segment them by using a small, sharp knife to cut between the membranes. Put the segments in the bowl with the juices.

Cut the lamb diagonally into 2.5 cm (1 inch) thick slices and add to the bowl, along with the watercress and red onion. Pour the dressing over the salad and lightly toss to coat.