The recipe

Set the oven at 200C/gas mark 6. Cut a couple of peppers in half then in half again. Remove any seeds or white cores then put the pieces of pepper in a roasting tin. Trickle a little olive oil over them then, when the oven is at full heat, roast for 40 minutes or until soft and tender.

Put 1 heaped tsp of thyme leaves in a mortar with the needles from a single sprig of rosemary and generous pinch of sea salt and crush them a little with a pestle. Stir in 2 tbsp of olive oil and a generous grinding of black pepper.

Pour the seasoned oil into a shallow pan over a high to moderate heat then, as it starts to sizzle, add 400g fillet of lamb. Brown nicely on all sides. Remove the roasting tin from the oven, place the lamb on top of the peppers and pour over the oil and cooking juices from the shallow pan. Make sure the peppers get a little, too. Dot a little butter (just 30g will do) over the meat then scatter a few sprigs of thyme and rosemary over the meat and peppers.

Roast for 8 minutes then remove from the oven, scatter over a handful of stoned olives and leave to rest, covered with foil, for 10 minutes.

Carve the meat into thick slices and serve with the soft warm peppers and olives. Enough for 2.

The trick

Make sure the peppers are thoroughly soft and sweet before adding the lamb, as they get little extra cooking once the meat is added. I consider the resting process of the roast lamb essential – don’t skip it. Your lamb will be juicier for it.

The twist

You could do this with a piece of pork fillet. Being thicker, it will need longer cooking. Put the meat in when the peppers are starting to soften. I would also include some garlic, peeled and crushed, in the herb rub for the meat.

Email Nigel at nigel.slater@observer.co.uk or follow him on Twitter @NigelSlater