Offally good? Braised lamb hearts recipe

This isn't the usual type of recipe I would normally publish however the result of this off-the-cuff recipe was really very delicious (if I can say so myself.)

I'm not one to be squeamish - gutting fish, filleting meat etc. doesn't bother me however the thought of eating a heart made me feel rather uneasy. It's certainly not something I would usually choose to cook let alone dine on myself. But someone I love has a fondness for all things offal and so to please them, I have gradually been working my way up to tackling a meal made with heart by cooking the more minor(?) organs first.

Hearts are actually a really sensible choice for the meat portion of your main meal. The heart is an incredibly lean part of an animal as it is doing so much work so you won't be eating lots of unhealthy fat when cooking this or any other heart-based dish. It is also one of the most inexpensive cuts available. You only need one heart per person (hmm, that doesn't sound quite right but you get my meaning) the cost of which is between 30p and 50p. So you can feed a family of four for under £2. I would highly recommend trying out this recipe as it's not only tasty but wholesome for your bank account and body too.

The finished meal.

 

Ingredients: (serves 2)

 

For the stuffed hearts:

• 2 lamb hearts
• 1 slice of good quality brown bread
• Handful of fresh parsley 
• A few sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 onion, peeled and sliced
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
• 1 free-range egg

For the braising liquid:

• 1 carrot, peeled and sliced finely
• 2 celery sticks, sliced finely
• 2 onions, peeled and sliced finely
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 tsp. tomato puree
• 2 leeks, finely sliced
• Lump of unsalted butter
• Sprinkling of flour
• Splash of red wine
• 1 litre of good quality chicken stock

Method:

 

1. Sear the lamb hearts for a few minutes in a casserole dish on the hob until brown all over and then set aside on a dish to cool.
2. In the same casserole dish you used to sear the hearts fry an onion and the three cloves of garlic until softened and starting to brown. Keep the casserole dish (plus the meat and onion scrapings) until later for the braising liquid.
3. To create the stuffing for the hearts tear up the bread and place into a blender. Blend until it creates a breadcrumb texture with no big lumps.
4. Add the softened onion and garlic mixture along with the parsley and thyme to the blender and blitz until a fine consistency.
5. Mix in the egg and stuff the hearts with the mixture. If you have any leftover stuffing form it into balls and place to the side.
6. 
   To make a good base for the braising liquid add the carrot, celery, onion, leeks and garlic to the casserole dish and fry gently until they are starting to soften.
7. Melt some butter in the pan and then add a sprinkling of flour and stir thoroughly. Add some tomato puree and ensure all the vegetables are fully coated before adding the chicken stock to the pan.
8. Allow the liquid to come to the boil then turn down the temperature to simmering point and add a splash of red wine.
9. Place the stuffed hearts and any leftover stuffing balls into the liquid and simmer on a low heat for 1 to 2 hours before serving.