Lamb's heart sandwich with rocket and wild garlic mayonnaise

Serves 4

You can serve these as an open or closed sandwich (Jason Lowe)

My grandmother often used to braise lamb's hearts and they were a real treat, simply stuffed with breadcrumbs, thyme and onions. For years I was under the impression that hearts needed braising, but in fact once the sinew has been removed they can be treated like any other piece of tender meat.

I've had rocket growing in my garden throughout the winter and the leaves are really peppery now. My tub of wild garlic that I lifted from the woods has also recently popped up again, so I thought a wild garlic mayonnaise would fit the bill nicely.

4-5tbsp good-quality mayonnaise
A handful of wild garlic leaves, washed
4 lamb's hearts, halved, trimmed of any fat and sinew
1tbsp vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
A handful or so of rocket leaves, washed
8 slices of bread
Softened butter

Bring a small pan of salted water to the boil and cook the wild garlic leaves for 10 seconds, then drain, refresh under the cold tap briefly, squeeze out excess water and finely chop. Mix with the mayonnaise and season. Cut the hearts horizontally into about cm slices, season and brush with a little oil. Heat a griddle or heavy frying pan and cook the hearts on a high heat for about a minute on each side, keeping them pink. To serve, butter the bread, lay the rocket leaves and hearts on and spoon over the mayonnaise. You can serve these as an open or closed sandwich.