THIS week’s recipes are alternative dishes to serve on Easter Sunday. Easter is always a great time to have friends and family over and both of these are easy ways to put something a little bit different on the table.
Yotam Ottolenghi is a British/Israeli/Italian chef in London whose work I admire and so I have decided to take a leaf out of his book and use herbs and spice to liven these recipes. Lamb is such a great dish and this is definitely the best time of year to be cooking with it.
Rather than pair the lamb with the traditional two veg, I have a great aubergine couscous dish to serve with it. The best thing about cooking with couscous is that it keeps for a day or two if refrigerated, so if there are any leftovers this is great as a cold lunch the next day.
For the traditionalists among you, I have posted a quick video for a classic roast lamb on our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/jamesstreetsouth) which will result in the perfect roast leg of lamb with seasonal roasted vegetables for everyone to enjoy.
Whichever dish you decide to cook this weekend have a great Easter from all of us at the James Street South Group.
SHERRY ROASTED LAMB
(Serves 6 with leftovers)
Serves 6 with leftovers
2kg leg of lamb trimmed, boned out and tied
6 sprigs rosemary, picked from the stalk but keep stalk
3 sprigs thyme, remove from stalk and chop, but keep the stalk
Sea salt
Fresh black pepper
500ml sweet sherry
2 generous tblsp apple cider vinegar
250ml beef stock
2 heaped tblsp brown sugar
1 tsp juniper berries
1 bulb garlic, skin on and halved
8 shallots, peeled and halved
Start by preheating the oven to 200C. The lamb should be tied with string; then prick the lamb with a knife and insert the rosemary into the skin. Place shallots on the bottom of a roasting tray – the rosemary and thyme stalks go on top. Place the lamb on the shallots and pour over the stock, sweet sherry, juniper berries, cider vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Place the garlic in the tray and put in the oven.
Roast for 30 minutes and then turn over; place back in oven and roast again for 20 minutes; turn again and place back in oven and cook until done to your preference.
(Another 20 minutes will cook the lamb to pink which is ideally how you should serve.)
Throughout the cooking continually spoon over the juices to keep it moist. Once cooked, cover and let rest for 15 minutes. To serve the juice now in the pan with the lamb, skim off any of the fat and place in a pot and reduce down. The shallots and garlic can be served as they are with the lamb.
AUBERGINE WITH COUSCOUS
For the aubergine
2 garlic cloves, peeled and grated
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 pinch salt
2 tblsp olive oil
For the couscous
160g couscous
Zest of 1 lemon
Pinch of salt
1 tsp extra virgin oil
10g parsley, destalked and chopped
10g mint, chopped
1 chilli finely chopped
Yoghurt sauce
100g plain yoghurt
1 tblsp lemon juice
Pinch of salt
Preheat the oven to 180C and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Pound the garlic, paprika and salt in a pestle with a mortar until it forms a smooth paste, then blend in the olive oil.
Cut the aubergines lengthways into 2cm-thick slices, then 2cm deep, to make long batons. Discard the spongy core of the aubergine. Brush the batons with the paste and place on baking tray and cook for 30 minutes or until tender.
Place the couscous in a large bowl with the lemon zest and salt and pour over 180ml of boiling water. Place a large plate on top of the bowl or cover with cling film and leave to stand for five minutes. Drizzle with the olive oil, add in your chopped chilli, parsley and mint and fluff up using a fork. Taste again for seasoning.
For the yoghurt sauce, mix all the ingredients together and season to taste. This can be prepared beforehand and stored in the fridge.
Serve the couscous on the plate with the aubergine batons on top and drizzle with the yoghurt dressing.
