Lamb, courgettes, fennel and cider

If you’re wondering what to drink with lamb you’re most probably thinking in terms of red wine but as yesterday’s feast at Burrow Hill Cider, part of the Somerset Food Trail proved cider can be a surprisingly good pairing

Actually it wasn’t just the lamb, which was simply cooked (barbecued but without a strong marinade) but the accompanying vegetables chef Lucas Hollweg of the caterers On the Spoon had cooked with it that were the key to the pairing.

Drawing on local ingredients, as he did for the whole meal, he made a base of courgette & fennel agrodolce - a sweet-sour dish of slowly cooked vegetables to which he’d added Burrow Hill’s cider vinegar, cider and honey.

It chimed in perfectly with the medium sweet ‘cider bus sparkling cider’ that they sell at Glastonbury* and other events. (There was also some local Westcombe ricotta scattered over the top of the veg - rather like feta in a Greek lamb dish)

It proves yet again that it’s no so much the basic ingredient that determines a match but the way you cook it and the flavours you put with it.

For other lamb pairings see Top wine pairings for lamb 

For other cider pairings see Top food pairings for cider 

*Unsurprisingly sold out though you can find other ciders along with their marvellous Somerset Cider Brandy in their online shop