Lamb Backstrap
Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 5 good sized lamb back straps
- 3T olive oil
- 1T butter (optional)
Method:
Marinate the lamb in the olive oil and pepper. Add salt before you sauté in a hot pan. No need to oil the pan. If you want more caramelisation, add 1T butter to the pan half way through. Fry until the meat is cooked to your liking.
Remove and rest the lamb for 5 minutes. Usually one end is thinner, so you can serve those pieces to friends who like their meat more cooked than others.
Add a splash of Cabernet Franc to the pan to create extra pan juices.
Beetroot and Apple Relish:
Ingredients:
- 6 medium sized beetroots
- 2 red onions (sliced thinly)
- 2 granny smith apples (grated)
- 2T apple juice
- 3 T red wine vinegar
- 2 T brown sugar
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Wash beetroot; wrap all the beetroot in alfoil and bake in a moderate oven until tender. Leave to cool.
Cut beetroot tops and ends and peel off the skin and discard. Grate the beetroot.
Fry the sliced onions add the grated apples and cook until softened.
Add the grated beetroot and remaining ingredients and cook until the liquid is well absorbed and the flavours have amalgamated. Season to taste.
Roast Butternut Pumpkin and Hazelnuts:
Ingredients:
- 1 good sized butternut pumpkin
- 2T olive oil (or hazelnut oil)
- 3T roughly chopped hazelnuts
Method:
Peel, de-seed and chop the pumpkin into similar sized pieces so it will roast evenly.
Put the oil on a sizable baking tray and coat the pumpkin in the oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast at 200 degrees C till done.
Three quarters of the way through you may need to rearrange some of the pumpkin pieces: i.e. swap the centre pieces for the ones on the outer edges of the pan to even out the cooking. Add the chopped nuts at this stage to toast as well.
SHORTCUTS:
Buy a ready made beetroot relish.