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Lamb Recipes
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Ingredients
Cooking oil, 2 chopped onions, Salt and pepper, 10 Patti pans, 5 sliced carrots, 10 baby potatoes peeled, 800 g of lamb meat, 250 g mushrooms, 1 bunch of half-cut green beans. A glass of red wine (optional), 3 mielies, each cut into 3 pieces
Directions Heat oil in a pot and add onions. Fry until the onions are brown. Add meat and season them to taste. Add water to cover the meat and reduce the heat. Add the red wine if you prefer, then simmer the meat for about 60 to 90 minutes. Add mielies and potatoes alongside other veggies that take longer to cook. Add brown onion sauce and mushroom, and then add chutney to cover the meat in the pot. Simmer with the lid in place. Add Patti pans, mushrooms, and green beans in layers to the halfway done veggies. Add some more sauce and salt if necessary. Do not stir the pot and ensure the pot's base has enough cooking liquid.
INGREDIENTS
lamb shanks (phone your butchery ahead of time – without exception all lambs have four shanks each, but butcheries sometimes cut these shanks up into stewing meat if they don’t know you’re on your way to come and buy them whole)
1 tot olive oil
2 onions (chopped)
2 celery sticks (chopped)
6 carrots (chunks)
6 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 tsp coriander powder
2 star anise
1 bottle Cape Vintage (port)
1 tot soy sauce
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
fresh herbs like basil, parsley or thyme (chopped, for serving)
METHOD
Braai the lamb shanks over the flames of your fire for a minute or three to burn away some of the fat and brown the meat.
Add the oil to the potjie and sauté the onion and celery for a few minutes.
Add the carrots and garlic, sauté for another couple of minutes and then add the coriander powder and star anise. Toss these around for about a minute to release their flavors.
Now add the bottle of port, the soy sauce and the fire-browned lamb shanks. You want the shanks to be positioned as low down as possible in the potjie so use your wooden spoon to maneuver them past the onions, celery and carrots.
Grind salt and pepper over everything and put the lid on the potjie. Now you want the lamb shanks to cook very gently like this for 3 hours. You want some coals under the potjie, and you also want some coals on the lid of the potjie. This is not a race, it’s a journey.
Every so often you can lift the lid, taking care not to get any coals or ash from the lid into the potjie, and check on progress. Tere should be a gentle bubble and the potjie must not run dry. If it’s not making any noise, it’s either dry and you need to add a bit more liquid like water, wine or port or alternatively, if there is no sound, it’s simply not cooking at all, and you need to add more coals under the pot and onto the lid.
After 3 hours, check that the meat will come loose from the bone when encouraged to do so by a utensil. If this is the case, the potjie is ready. If not, let it carry on simmering for a while.
At this stage you want to have built a big fire with good flames, called an atmosfire, around which you and your guests will enjoy the meal.
Plate the lamb shanks (accompanied by mashed potatoes. If the sauce is too runny and watery, put the potjie without the shanks back onto the flames of the atmosfire without the lid and let it reduce and thicken for a few minutes while all your guests fill their wine glasses, switch off their phones and prepare for the meal. Now finish off each meal by topping the lamb shank with some sauce from the pot, and garnish with chopped fresh herbs.
INGREDIENTS
rack of lamb (8 to 9 rib chops per rack)
olive oil
oregano, rosemary or thyme
coarse sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
meat thermometer
Fresh herbs like oregano and rosemary for smoking at the end
METHOD
Ask your butcher to prepare the rack of lamb for braaing. Importantly, he should use his meat saw to make a small cut through the backbone between each rib bone so that you can easily carve the rack into individual chops. In addition, he could do the following: ■French the rack, which means to clean the tips of each bone. You want the tip of each bone to be clean so that you are left with an attractive rack with meat that comes off the bone easily
Once back at home, pour a thin layer of olive oil on the meat and sprinkle with the salt, pepper and herb(s) of your choice. Use your recently washed hands to rub these condiments into the meat. It’s up to you whether or not you rest the meat after this before you braai it. The meat should be at room temperature when you start the braai, so take it out of the fridge when you light the fire.
A rack of lamb is a pretty impressive, enjoyable piece of meat to braai. It’s somewhere between braaing a lamb chop and a lamb rib, and you should do it over hot coals. Take your time. A small rack can be ready in 20 minutes, but a big one can take up to 40 minutes. This range in braai time comes down to wide variations in size and is also a question of how aggressively your rack was Frenched and whether it was at room temperature or straight from the fridge when you started braaing it. For most of the braai time, the rack will face fat-layer side or rib-bone side down, but also braai the rack standing on the fat-bone side at times.
The meat is ready when the internal temperature reads 63°C in the middle of the thickest part. If you don’t own a meat thermometer, rather remove the meat too early than too late. If any or all of the chops need more braaing when you cut them, you can always return them to the fire as individual chops.
Let the meat rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting. Place a layer of fresh herbs in a pan with holes or on top of your grid. Then place the chops on top and place over direct heat for a 1 – 2 minutes until a light smoke starts to form and flavor the chops.
AND …If the exposed bones at the tip of each rib bone start to burn, wrap them individually in foil.
EQUIPMENT
Slow Cooker
INGREDIENTS
2 Lamb Shanks
1/2 Fresh Lemon
1 Tablespoon Thyme
1 Tablespoon Oregano
1 Tablespoon Ground Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Ground Paprika
1 Tablespoon Season All
Thumb of Ground Ginger
8 Chunks of pineapple
1/2 Red Pepper, cut into small chunks
2 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
INSTRUCTIONS
Rinse lamb in cold water and place inside slow cooker pot. Squeeze half of the fresh lemon over the meat.
Add the thyme, oregano, ground black pepper, paprika, season all and ginger.
Add half a cup of water to the pot.
Place the lid of the slow cooker and if safe to do so, take a hold of it and shake it so that the lamb and the seasoning mix in together. Note if the slow cooker pot is too heavy then you can do the mixing in a separate plastic bowl or something similar and then transfer it to the clow cooker.
Place in the slow cooker on high heat for 4 hours.
Preheat your oven to 160°C (320 °F). Once the slow cooker cycle is done, move the lamb to a suitable oven dish. Do not discard the excess juices from the slow cooker.
Add the red peppers, pineapple and soy sauce.
Spread the juices from the slow cooker over the lamb and vegetables.
Place in the oven for around 20 – 30 minutes (or until it becomes slightly brown and crispy) before turning it over. After turning it over, spoon some of the juices over the meat and vegetables again to keep them moist.
Remove from the oven after another 20 – 30 minutes (or until it becomes slightly brown and crispy). Enjoy
Ingredients
olive oil for braising
2 lamb shanks
1 leek, roughly chopped
1 celery sticks, roughly chopped
2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped
1 whole head of garlic, cloves separated but unpeeled
1½ cups (370 ml) dry red wine
1 pint (600ml) chicken stock
Method
Step 1
In a casserole dish heat the olive oil until oil is sizzling. Add the lamb shanks and cook, turning occasionally, until brown. Remove cooked lamb from the casserole, using slotted spoon.
Step 2
Add the leek, celery, carrots, onion and garlic. Cook for 10-15 minutes, until soften.
Step 3
Top cooked vegetables with lamb shanks. Add the red wine and chicken stock. Bring to a boil
Step 4
Transfer casserole dish to the lower grill of turbo oven. Cover with a foil, set turbo oven temperature to 350° F (180° C). Cook for 1 hour.
0.8 kg Lamb Neck Fillet (cubed)
10 10 Whole baby onions (peel but don’t chop up)
Olive Oil
Handful chopped parsley
125 ml Red wine
1 Cup Boiling Water
1 block beef stock, crumbled
1 block lamb stock, crumbled
2 Large potatoes (cubed)
500 ml Green beans, cut up
1 Bunch of carrots, sliced
4 Celery sticks, chopped
1 red/orange chilli pepper (chopped up)
4 Garlic cloves
1 Tbsp chilli powder
1 tsp. Black Pepper
Packet of Brown onion soup
METHOD
Potjie Time
Add some olive oil to the potjie, add the meat and seal it (ensuring all sides are browned)
Remove the meat and then brown the onions
Replace the meat and cover with the stock and red wine
Let this simmer for 1 hour
Place the parsley in the mix and then layer with potatoes, carrots and green beans
Simmer for 1 hour
Place the celery, pepper, garlic, chili powder, black pepper and onion soup on the top of the mix (ensuring to cover the top)
Simmer for 3 hours.
INGREDIENTS (SERVES 6)
12 lamb loin chops
salt and pepper
125 g butter (cut into smaller blocks)
1 jar (about 140g) sundried tomato pesto
fresh coriander
1 lemon
METHOD
Season the chops with salt and pepper and braai over hot coals in your hinged grid until almost done. The chops are going back onto the fire again for a second round, The outside of the chops can start to brown and caramlise, but the inside should still be more on the raw side.
Take the chops off from the grid and place them in a large mixing bowl.
Add the butter and pesto into the mixing bowl with the warm chops and mix this well so that all the meat is covered in butter and pesto.
Drizzle the lemon juice over the chops and add half of the fresh coriander (chopped) and add to the chops.
Place the chops back onto your hinged grid and braai for 2 – 4 minutes on each side until the meat is done and all the seasoning warm.
Serve with extra lemon juice and fresh coriander.
Lamb Shoulder Chops are naturally more flavorful. The general lamb meat has a strong gamy taste to it and requires extra effort to bring out the right flavors. With Lamb Should Chops, the cooking process is much simpler, while providing an outstanding dish.
How to Cook the Lamb Shoulder Chops
Marinate the lamb with garlic, seasoning, rosemary and oil. Preheat the skillet on very high heat and add lamb to the skillet. Cook on both sides for about 6 minutes.
To cook lamb shoulder chop in an oven, use a cast iron skillet. Brown both sides to a nice crust. Place it in an oven for the remainder of the cooking time.
To verify the readiness of the chops – they should be cooked to 145°F for medium rare, 160°F for medium, or 170°F for well done.
How to Grill Lamb Shoulder Chops
Place the marinated lamb shoulder chops on a preheated grill to 450°F. Grill the lamb on each side for 5-7 minutes, depending on the thickness of the cut and how well you want the meat to be done.
Ingredients
olive oil for braising
2 lamb shanks
1 leek, roughly chopped
1 celery sticks, roughly chopped
2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped
1 whole head of garlic, cloves separated but unpeeled
1½ cups (370 ml) dry red wine
1 pint (600ml) chicken stock
Method
Step 1
In a casserole dish heat the olive oil until oil is sizzling. Add the lamb shanks and cook, turning occasionally, until brown. Remove cooked lamb from the casserole, using slotted spoon.
Step 2
Add the leek, celery, carrots, onion and garlic. Cook for 10-15 minutes, until soften.
Step 3
Top cooked vegetables with lamb shanks. Add the red wine and chicken stock. Bring to a boil
Step 4
Transfer casserole dish to the lower grill of turbo oven. Cover with a foil, set turbo oven temperature to 350° F (180° C). Cook for 1 hour.
INGREDIENTS
1 lamb rib
1 lemon (juice)
coarse sea salt
1 tot Worcestershire sauce
freshly ground black pepper
brush made from rosemary twigs (or a kitchen brush)
METHOD
Twenty minutes before you want to start braaing, squeeze some of the lemon juice onto both sides of the rib. Take care to remove any pips that fall onto the meat. Also grind sea salt onto it. If the salt does not stick, pat it onto the meat with your clean hand.
Place the ribs on the braai grid and start to braai. You should braai these ribs for an absolute minimum of 1 hour, preferably 1½ hours. To accomplish this, you obviously need gentle heat, which means a very high grid and mild coals. Another popular option is to use a hinged grid and place it vertically next to the fire or coals where just enough heat will reach it to melt the fat and crisp the meat in your allocated 90 minutes. You can braai a rib in less time, but it will be less tender.
When you judge the meat to be almost (80%) ready, use a brush made from rosemary twigs to paint the Worcestershire sauce onto both sides of the meat. If you’re too lazy to make this brush, use your normal food brush.
To check whether the ribs are done, grab the edge of one of the bones and tear the rib away from the rest. It should be relatively easy to pull it off.
Remove the ribs from the fire and place on a cutting board or in a bowl. Cut them with either a knife or kitchen scissors. Serve with salt and pepper and eat them with your hands.
AND …Instead of using Worcestershire sauce, try sprinkling 1 tot of crushed coriander seeds on both sides of the ribs. If you don’t feel like braaing the rib for 90 minutes, bake it in your oven at 140°C for 90 minutes in a covered dish. Then braai it over the coals for 20minutes in the way you would braai chicken. Baste with the lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce during this time, adding salt as required. Never pre-boil ribs in a pot of water as they will lose a lot of their natural juices and flavor to the water.
Cooking for two? A romantic dinner perhaps? Consider the lamb chop—delicate, tender, juicy, and easy. Rub with some chopped herbs, garlic, salt and pepper, and olive oil, let sit for a bit, sear all over on high heat, let rest a few minutes, and serve.
You can either buy double rib lamb chops, with two ribs per chop, or single rib chops. Double rib chops yield a thicker piece of meat than single chops and are more forgiving with cooking time if you like your lamb rare or medium rare.
How to Cook Lamb Chops
Cooking lamb chops on the stovetop couldn't be easier!
Marinate the lamb chops in a mixture of herbs, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Sear the chops on high heat on the stovetop until browned on both sides.
If you have thick double-rib chops and you would like them more well done, cover the pan, lower the heat to warm, or put them in the oven for a few minutes.
Rest the lamb chops for 3 to 5 minutes before serving.
Everything you need to know to roast a perfectly cooked leg of lamb for your holiday meal.
INGREDIENTS
1 (5 to 7 pound) bone-in leg of lamb
3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 cloves garlic, minced
Leaves from 3 fresh rosemary sprigs, coarsely chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
INSTRUCTIONS
Rub the lamb with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Take the leg of lamb out of the refrigerator about an hour before cooking so it comes closer to room temperature. This promotes faster, more even cooking. Set the lamb in a rack inside a roasting pan. Drizzle with the olive oil and rub all over into the fat and meat. Season generously all over with salt and pepper. Position the lamb so that it is fat-side down.
Broil for 5 minutes. Arrange an oven rack so that the top of the lamb is a few inches from the broiler element. Heat the broiler. Broil until the surface of the lamb looks seared and browned, about 5 minutes.
Flip the lamb over and broil the other side. Flip the leg over and put back under the broiler until the other side is seared, about 5 minutes more.
Top with garlic and rosemary. Take the lamb out of the oven. Turn off the broiler and set the oven temperature to 325°F. Reposition the oven rack to the middle of the oven. Rub the top of the lamb with the garlic and rosemary.
Cover the lamb loosely with foil and roast 1 hour. Tent the pan loosely with aluminum foil to keep the garlic and rosemary from burning. Put the lamb back in the oven and roast for 1 hour.
Uncover and take the temperature. Uncover the lamb. Take its temperature with an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part not touching bone. The lamb is ready when the temperature is 135°F or above. At 135°F the lamb is cooked to rare, but it will continue cooking as it rests, so we recommend taking it out of the oven at 135°F for medium-rare to medium. (Refer to the cooking chart above for general roasting times.)
If the lamb is not ready, continue cooking uncovered until it reaches your desired internal temperature, checking the temperature every 20 minutes.
Figure out where to carve. Let the lamb rest for at least 15 minutes before carving. Transfer the lamb to a clean cutting board. The bone runs through the meat at an angle, giving you two fairly big pieces of meat on either side of the bone. Start with the side of meat that feels most accessible to you.
Cut the meat into slices across the grain. Make straight, parallel cuts straight down through the thickest part of the meat until you hit the bone. You should be cutting perpendicular to the bone, across the grain of the meat. The slices will still be attached where they meet the bone.
Cut the slices off the bone. Turn your knife so that it's now parallel to the bone instead of perpendicular. Starting at the end of the bone furthest from you, cut through the slices where they attach to the bone. Keep your knife close to the bone so you get as much meat as possible, but don't worry about getting every single scrap of meat right now — just focus on cutting cleanly through the big slices and you’ll get any leftover pieces later.
Transfer the slices to a serving platter. Place the slices on a serving platter. Tent the platter with foil to keep the meat warm.
Spice Paste
2 Tbsp (30 ml) tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
5 anchovies, finely chopped
1 tsp (5 ml) ginger, finely chopped
1 Tbsp (15 ml) curry masala
1 Tbsp (15 ml) paprika
2 tsp (10 ml) cumin powder
2 tsp (10 ml) coriander powder
2 large onions, chopped
oil, for frying
Bredie
2 kg lamb neck
salt and pepper, to season
olive oil
800 g Roma tomatoes, halved
2 C (500 ml) good quality beef stock
1 tin (410 g) tomato purée
1 tin water (use the purée tin to measure)
2 cinnamon sticks
6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
½ C (125 ml) chutney
4 large potatoes, peeled and quartered
½ C flat leaf parsley, chopped
Start a fire first so that the coals are ready to go once you’ve done the kitchen prep.
Spice Paste
Combine the tomato paste, garlic, anchovies, ginger, curry, paprika, cumin and coriander together in a bowl and set aside.
Add a little oil to a medium-sized frying pan and fry the onions over a moderate heat until browned. Add the spice paste and fry for 2 minutes while constantly stirring to cook off the spices.
Bredie
Using a sharp knife, slice the fat of the neck in half to prevent curling when braaing. Season the lamb neck with salt and pepper and then rub with a little olive oil. Braai the meat over hot coals for about 3 minutes a side or until the outside has caramelised. Braai the tomatoes cut side down until they begin to char.
Transfer the onion and spice mix to a large flat bottomed potjie pot or casserole dish. Roughly chop the charred tomatoes and add to the pot. Add the beef stock, tomato purée, water, cinnamon sticks, thyme, bay leaves and chutney and stir to combine. Lastly add the meat and ensure that it’s submerged in the liquid. Put the lid on askew and simmer for 2 hours while stirring occasionally. After 2 hours add the potatoes and simmer for another hour with the lid off.
Garnish with chopped parsley, serve with rotis and dig in.
INGREDIENTS
Olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 lamb chops, per seving
For the bean mash:
500 g dried beans, cooked
65-125 ml olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
Oil and season the chops. Braai the chops until nicely browned outside but still rosy-rare inside.
To make the bean mash, roughly blend the hot cooked beans with a hand-held electric stick blender, gradually adding ¼-½ cup olive oil. Stir in the crushed garlic and season to taste. If it’s too thick, thin down with water stock or more oil.
INGREDIENTS
For the lamb chops:
1 kg bulk free-range lamb chops
original braai marinade
For the sweet potatoes:
700 g boiled baby sweet potatoes
100 g melted butter
Smoked paprika, a pinch or two
Sea salt to taste
200 g Cremezola or crumbly blue cheese
To make the chimichurri sauce, mix:
1 cup mint
1 cup parsley, chopped
2 cloves garlic, mashed
1/4 t red chili
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
sea salt to taste
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
To make the lamb:
Place the chops on the grill over medium for a couple of minutes (without any seasoning or marinade) to seal on each side. Remove from the grill and place in a deep tray. Brush with Original Braai Marinade to coat. Set aside to rest at room temperature.
In the meantime, make your sweet potatoes and the chimichurri sauce for the lamb:
To make the sweet potatoes:
Drizzle the sweet potatoes with butter. Season with sea salt and a pinch or two of smoked paprika. Wrap them up in foil (shiny side in) and place on the side of the fire for a smokey and crisp finish, about 5 minutes should do it. Cut a slit in each and serve with crumbled blue cheese.
To make the chimichurri sauce:
In a mortar and pestle, grind together 1 cup chopped mint, 1 cup chopped parsley, 2 cloves mashed garlic, 1/4 teaspoon red chili, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, sea salt to taste, 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper.
To serve: A few minutes before eating, place the lamb chops on the grill to warm up and cook for another minute or two. Serve with the chimichurri sauce and sweet potatoes.
INGREDIENTS
1 Whole lamb 12-15 kg
marinade
20 cloves garlic
5 tablespoon fresh crushed black pepper
10 teaspoon salt
5 teaspoon Aromat (a South African Spice)
4 cups lemon juice
10 crushed green chillies
6 tablespoon ginger garlic
2Tbls zeal
6 tablespoon Steak chops spice
4 tablespoon orange pepper
3 teaspoon meat tenderiser
Bottom of braai (bbq)
1 kg carrots whole
1 kg mellies chopped in 1/4s
2 punnets mushrooms whole
1 kg butternut chopped
1 kg potatoes
5 teaspoon salt
5 teaspoon black pepper
Basting
500g butter
1 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoon crushed garlic
2 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme
2 tablespoon Steak and chops spice
METHOD
Blend all Marinade ingredients into a sauce... rub over lamb and chill for minutes 24 hours ...
Baste every 15 minutes
The juice from lamb will drip Into veggies (add veggies in the last hour )if you are using a coal setup put veggies in a deep oven tray lined with foil...
Should be done in 3 hours depending on your flames ...
Slice and serve with veggies ...
Thank you to our clients, Laurel and Gary Mc Birnie for sharing this amazing tried and tested recipe as well as the beautiful photo.
Oven-Roasted Lamb Chops
8 thick-cut lamb chops
(I bought my lamb chops from Karoo Braai Meat – they’re
extra thick and have amazing flavour)
MARINADE
6 tbsp olive oil (divided into 5 tbsp and 1 tbsp)
1 tbsp lemon juice
6 cloves garlic (crushed)
handful of fresh rosemary (chopped)
handful of fresh thyme (torn from stems)
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh-ground black pepper
Worcestershire sauce braai sprinkles
TO SERVE
Potato plus sweet potato mash (mashed with butter, milk,
salt and pepper)
Minty frozen corn and peas (butter, salt, pepper and a dollop
of premade mint sauce added after cooking)
METHOD
In a large container, whisk together 3 tablespoons of olive oil with the remaining marinade ingredients: lemon juice, crushed garlic, rosemary, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper.
Add the lamb chops. Turn them to coat in marinade and press the marinade into the chops.
Sprinkle worcestershire sprinkles over top on each turn so both sides have enough to create a bit of a crunch.
Cover with plastic and marinate at room temperature for 30-60 minutes OR marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight, but then let lamb chops sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking. Turn the chops in the marinade occasionally.
Preheat the oven to 190oC.
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large grill pan over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes, until hot and shimmering.
Add the lamb chops in a single layer. Sear for about 2 minutes on all sides until browned – remember to sear the ends as well. It’s better to sear in batches rather than try to fit all the chops into the pan together.
Place all chops onto a rimmed baking tray, all with their bone ends facing upwards – this will allow the fat to render downwards and flavour the meat.
Roast lamb chops for about 2-5 minutes for medium-rare to medium doneness, or about 5-8 minutes for medium-well to well done.
Cooking above medium is not recommended because a. it’s sacriligious and b. the flavour of the lamb becomes stronger.
I cooked mine for around 12-15 minutes because of the extra thickness and some had a double bone.
Remove lamb chops from the oven, cover with tinfoil and rest for 10–15 minutes.
The temperature will rise a little under the foil initially, so be careful not to overcook. The inside should be lightly pink for maximum flavour.
Mix up some packeted lamb gravy and drain the contents of the baking tray into the same pot for extra flavour.
HOW TO REHEAT LAMB CHOPS TO PRESERVE THE PINK CENTRE
Preheat the oven to a low temperature – between 120oC and 150oC.
Place the lamb chops in a baking dish and add a little broth to the bottom to create steam to keep moisture in.
Seal the top with foil.
Heat in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until warm.
INGREDIENTS:
30ml Olive or cooking oil
750g Lamb cubes, cut 2cm
250g Pickling onions, (about 18)
2 Cloves garlic, crushed
60ml Dry red wine, optional
375ml Lamb or beef stock
15ml Tomato paste
5ml Sugar
15ml Chopped fresh herbs or 5ml dried
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
250g Baby carrots
15ml Cake flour for thickening
METHOD:
1. Heat oil in a heavy saucepan and fry Lamb cubes until golden brown. Add onions and garlic and sauté until light brown. Remove onions and set aside.
2. Add wine, heated stock, tomato paste, sugar, herbs and seasoning. Bring to the boil, cover with lid and reduce heat. Simmer for about 40 minutes.
3. Add carrots and return onions and simmer for another 15 minutes until vegetables are soft. Dissolve flour in a little water and thicken the sauce.
Serve and Enjoy.
(With Credit To Samic for Recipe)
INGREDIENTS:
250g (1K) Pampoen
30ml Botter
30ml Olyfolie
450g Lamsrepies, 4cm lank gesny
1 Mediumgroot ui, fyngekap
1 Knoffelhuisie, fyngedruk
250g (1K) Arboria (risotto) rys
125ml Droe witwyn
1 Liter vleis of groente aftreksel
30g Parmesankaas, gerasper
15ml Pesto, opsioneel
Sout en swart peper na smaak
METHOD:
1. Skil en sny pampoen in klein stukkies. Plaas in swaarboompan met bietjie water en laat kook tot sag maar ferm. Dreineer water en hou pampoen in klein blokkies.
2. Verhit die botter en olie in 'n swaarboompan. Braai die lamrepies tot goudbruin. Voeg die uie en knoffel by en soteer tot sag.
3. Voeg die rys by en roer voortdurend oor medium hitte vir ongeveer 2 minute tot rys bedek is met olie en deurskynend word. Voeg wyn by die rys. Sodra al die vloeisof geabsorbeer is, begin om aftreksel stadig by te voeg, lepel vir lepel sodat elke byvoeging geabsorbeer word voor die volgende bygevoeg word. Hou aan met byvoegings vir ongeveer 20 minute tot risotto romering raak.
4. Voeg gaar pampoenn, Parmesan kaas, pesto en geurmiels by.
BEDIEN GENIET
(With Credit to Samic for Recipe)
These will feed about 10 of your friends, with lots of leftovers for you to enjoy in the morning.
YOU’LL NEED :
- lots of time to hang around the house
- 12 Lamb Shanks
- Flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
- extra Salt and Pepper to taste
- a big knob or two of Butter
- a splash of Olive Oil
- a bottle of good-enough-to-drink Red Wine
- about three cups of Vegetable Stock, preferably organic
- 1 whole Garlic Bulb
- 10 sprigs of Rosemary
Preheat your oven to 110°C. Toss the shanks around in the seasoned flour until evenly dusted. Melt the butter in a large pot, add a splash of olive oil, and then seal the shanks in batches. Once browned, take off the heat and set aside. Put the pot back on the heat and deglaze by pouring in about a glass of the red wine, stirring with a wooden spoon to get all those lekker bits off the bottom. Now, take the pot off the heat again, stack the shanks (fat sides down, bones facing up), and pour in about three cups of vegetable stock. Next add the rest of the wine, the whole garlic, the rosemary, salt and pepper. If your pot has an oven friendly lid, pop it on, otherwise cover with foil. Let the shanks slow roast in the oven for about 7 hours or until tender and just about falling off the bones. Check if they’re cooked after about 6 hours to be on the safe side. Word of advice: the lamb will have its own natural flavour, but taste the sauce to make sure it suits your palate and adjust if needed. Most of the taste should come from those delicious shanks.
MINT AND PEA RISOTTO
- 2 Onions, chopped
- a big knob of Butter
- Olive Oil
- 1 whole Garlic bulb – crushed and chopped
- A bag of Risotto rice
- a bottle of Dry White wine – about a cup for the risotto and the rest for you and whoever is helping you cook dinner
- Organic Veggie Stock – about a litre
- About two cups of fresh or frozen Peas – add it just before serving the risotto, so it’s still crunchy
- A handful of fresh mint, chopped
- a big chunk of Parmesan, grated
About 30 minutes before the lamb shanks are almost ready, start cooking the risotto. The worst thing you can do to risotto is overcooked it – it’s got to be al dente which means the grains shouldn’t stick together and disappear into a gooey mush – this isn’t porridge! Melt the butter in a pan over low heat and then add a splash of olive oil. Once the butter has melted, add the onions and fry until just soft, then stir in the garlic and cook for about another 30 seconds – be careful not to burn the garlic. Next, add the risotto rice, and stir around until the grains are all properly coated with all that buttery garlicky goodness. If you’re not happy with the butter/rice ratio, add more butter. Risotto can never have too much butter … or Parmesan! Stir in about a cup of white wine then once the liquid has almost completely absorbed, add a ladle of stock and keep stirring. Continue this process of adding stock and cooking it off until the risotto is al dente then add the peas, a big chunk of butter and a hearty handful of grated Parmesan. Give it one good stir around, season with salt and take it off the heat.
MINTY CREAM
- 2 big handfuls of Fresh Mint
- about 2 -3 cups of Cream
You can make the minty cream while you’re cooking the risotto. All you have to do is pour the cream into a saucepan, then add the fresh mint. Bring to a simmer and let it cook until the cream has reduced by half, stirring it every now and then to stop it from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Strain the cream through a sieve; otherwise, you’ll be chewing on mint stalks later.
TO SERVE :
Scoop a big spoonful of the creamy risotto onto a plate, put one lamb shank on top, drizzle with some of the delicious gravy and finish it off with a generous dollop of mint cream on top. This isn’t the kind of meal you eat while trying to balance a plate on your knees. This meal is a little celebration, so be a bit fancy, set a table outside on your lawn, with loads of candles, good wine and great friends and enjoy every morsel under a star-filled sky.
(Excerpt from COOKED IN THE KAROO by Justin Bonello. Photography Louis Hiemstra and Cooked in Africa Films.)
FOR ABOUT 10 PEOPLE YOU’LL NEED THE FOLLOWING :
- A pinch of Sugar
- 10 ml Dried Yeast
- 100 ml Lukewarm Water
- 400g Flour
- a pinch of Salt
- a knob of Butter
- 2 Eggs
- Sunflower Oil
First activate the yeast by mixing sugar, yeast and warm water together, then sprinkle about a tablespoon of flour on top to prevent the mixture from getting a dry crust. Leave it in a warm spot (which could be anywhere in the Karoo) until it goes frothy.
Sieve the flour into a bowl; add salt and then, using your fingertips rub in the butter. Whisk the eggs then pour into the yeast mixture. Next, make a hollow in the dough, pour in the yeast and eggs, and then knead it well until you have a soft pliable dough. Brush the dough with sunflower oil, place it in a big bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and take it back to that warm spot to let it double in size for about 40 minutes.
Knead the dough one last time then let everyone grab a fist-full and make a bun to braai over medium-hot coals until both sides are nicely toasted and it’s cooked through.
(Excerpt from COOKED IN THE KAROO by Justin Bonello. Photography Louis Hiemstra and Cooked in Africa Films.)
FOR THE LAMB NOISETTES
Ingredients :
- 2 lamb noisettes
- Robertsons Combination
- Cumin
- Coriander
- Mixed herbs
- Butter
- Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper
- Lemon zest and juice
- 80g diced bacon
Equipment :
- Dish Towel
FOR THE POTATO AND BABY MARROW ROSTI
Ingredients :
- 1 potato, grated
- 1 baby marrow
- 5ml Dijon mustard
- 10ml Robertsons thyme leaves
- 5ml Robertsons crushed garlic
- Salt and Pepper
- 100ml Olive Oil
Equipment :
- Dishtowel, mixing bowl, spatula, and pizza stone for Green Egg
Method :
Mix the garlic salt and fresh thyme leaves into the mash. Roll into little balls and stuff a cube of the feta in the middle. Dip into the flour, then into the egg and then into the panko bread crumbs before frying for 4 minutes until brown.
FOR THE POTATO AND BABY MARROW ROSTI
Ingredients :
- Pinch of bicarb
- 1 lemon
- 300ml frozen peas
- 250ml vegetable stock
- 1/2 onions
- 2 garlic cloves
- 15ml cream
- 80g butter
- salt and pepper
- a handful of fresh mint
Equipment :
- saucepan, stick blender, sieve, spatula, and 2 mixing bowls.
Method :
Sauté the onion and garlic in half of the butter. Add the peas, bicarb and spices and sauté off for 2 minutes. Add the stock and cook until the peas are totally cooked. Strain off most of the cooking liquid. Blend the peas and mint with the stick blender. Add the rest of the butter and then some of the cream as required for consistency reasons. Add a squeeze of lemon juice, salt and pepper. Strain through the sieve and set aside for plating.
FOR THE APRICOT AND ROOIBOS TEA FOAM
Ingredients :
- 150ml apricot juice
- 150ml hot water with 2 rooibos tea bags in
- 10ml lemon juice
- 10ml soy lecithin granules
Equipment :
- Stick blender, mixing bowl, tablespoon.
Method :
Combine ingredients in a mixing bowl. Agitate with the stick blender until all granules have disintegrated. Scoop the foam off the top and serve.
FOR THE ROCKET SALAD
Ingredients :
- 10g wild rocket
- half a lemon
- 5ml sesame seeds
- 15ml olive oil
Equipment :
- Mixing bowl
Method :
Combine in a mixing bowl.
FOR SERVING
Ingredients :
- 4 dried apricot halves
- Micro Kohlrabi leaves (or mustard/basil/beetroot micros)
Equipment :
- Circular serving plate, 2 Tablespoons
Method :
Combine in a mixing bowl.
TO BE MADE BEFOREHAND
- 1 x Pea Puree
- 1 x rosti
(Recipe curated with credit to Seline van der Wat)
FOR THE LAMB SHOULDER
Ingredients :
- 2 x Lamb shoulder – low and slow, cut into medallions
- Robertsons Combination: 8ml Ground Cumin and 5ml Cayenne Pepper
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 80ml finely chopped peppadews
- 100g toasted almond flakes
- 80ml olive oil
- Salt and Pepper
Equipment :
- Dish Towel, cutting board, knife
Method :
Sprinkle the cumin and cayenne pepper (plus salt and pepper) onto the inside of the lamb shoulder. Sprinkle the lemon zest and juice over. Sprinkle the peppadews and almond flakes in and roll tightly. Brush with olive oil, salt and pepper and bake in the Green Egg at 100 degrees for 3-4 hours until cooked.
FOR THE ROCKET SALAD :
Ingredients :
- 10g wild rocket
- half a lemon
- 5ml sesame seeds
- 15ml olive oil
Equipment :
- Mixing bowl
Method :
Combine in a mixing bowl.
FOR THE SWEETCORN PUREE
Ingredients :
- 1/2 an onion, finely diced
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 50g butter
- 50ml cream
- 2 corn on the cob
- 5ml Robertsons cumin
- salt and pepper
Equipment :
- Small saucepan, stick blender, sieve, spatula, mixing bowl.
Method :
Cut the corn off the cob while you sauté the onion and garlic in the butter. Add the corn and spices and sauté off for 2 minutes. Add the cream and cook until the corn is totally cooked. Strain off most of the cooking liquid. Blend the corn with the stick blender. Add some of the cooking liquid back as required for consistency reasons. Strain through the sieve and set aside for plating.
FOR THE POTATO AND BABY MARROW ROSTI
Ingredients :
- 1 potato, grated
- 1 baby marrow
- 5ml Dijon mustard
- 10ml Robertsons thyme leaves
- 5ml Robertsons crushed garlic
- Salt and Pepper
- 100ml Olive Oil
Equipment :
- Dish towel, mixing bowl, spatula, pizza stone for Green Egg
Method :
Mix the garlic salt and fresh thyme leaves into the mash. Roll into little balls and stuff a cube of the feta in the middle. Dip into the flour, then into the egg and then into the panko bread crumbs before frying for 4 minutes until brown.
FOR THE PICKLED CUCUMBER AND WINTERMELON
Ingredients :
- 8cm cucumber
- 1/2 wintermelon, peel and seeds removed
- 100ml apple cider vinegar
- 100ml boiling water
- 5ml Robertsons thyme
- 5ml fresh mint leaves
- 5ml mustard seeds
- 100ml castor sugar
Equipment :
- Cutting board, knife, mixing bowl
Method :
Cut the cucumber and wintermelon into 1cm cubes. Mix with the rest of the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Strain before serving.
FOR THE BEETROOT FOAM
Ingredients :
- 300ml fresh beetroot juice
- 10ml lemon juice
- 10ml soy lecithin granules
Equipment :
- Stick blender, mixing bowl, tablespoon
Method :
Combine ingredients in a mixing bowl. Agitate with the stick blender until all granules have disintegrated. Scoop the foam off the top and serve.
FOR SERVING
Ingredients :
- 2 Nasturtium Flowers
- Micro Kohlrabi leaves (or mustard/basil/beetroot micros)
Equipment :
- Rectangular serving plate, 2 Tablespoons
TO BE MADE BEFOREHAND
- 1 x Lamb shoulder recipe as above, cook for 3-4 hours
- 1 x sweetcorn puree recipe, made before and placed in a bowl with a tablespoon
(Recipe curated with credit to Seline van der Wat)
Instead of me doing all the hard graft, the plan was that everyone creates their own burgers, and what started as a lazy summer’s evening, quickly became a typical Cooked party. As much as I love my motley bunch of friends, I couldn’t entirely trust them to make the star of the show – the actual lamb mince patties, so I did that part. And from there everyone made their own burger by adding whatever weird concoction they could come up with to their lamb patties.
FOR ABOUT 10 PEOPLE YOU’LL NEED THE FOLLOWING :
- 2 kg Lamb Mince
- about 2 cups of breadcrumbs
- 2 Eggs
- a couple of cloves of crushed Garlic
- a handful of Fresh Basil, chopped
- a handful of toasted & crushed Coriander Seeds
- a couple of pinches of Salt and Black pepper (to taste)
- Roosterkoek, made on the braai
First up, put the mince in a bowl that’s big enough to fit both your hands into so that you can work the meat. Crack in an egg, add the breadcrumbs, all the garlic, herbs and spices. Using your hands, mix it thoroughly. Now leave it centre stage, with jars of whichever spices you have, plates of fresh herbs and a selection of cheeses and other goodies. Think of those winning flavours of mint, tzatziki, and rosemary … you get the picture when it comes to lamb.
Then sit back and enjoy the show.
I’m not sure if it’s because of their dismal spice knowledge, but some of them held up spice jars, sniffed at it (some of them a little too hard, getting red pepper up their noses) shook it (as if it would somehow reveal itself), stared at (for really long) all in an attempt to figure out what they were and what they would use them for. Then they would simply shrug, and make vague comments like “hmm, that smells nice so I’ll use it.” And of course, they did.
I sat back, sipped my brandy and coke and took mental notes. Some of the burgers were really scary, but the rule was if you made it, you had to eat it.
(Excerpt from COOKED IN THE KAROO by Justin Bonella. Photography Louis Hiemstra and Cooked in Africa Films.)
FOR THE LAMB RUMP
Ingredients :
- 1 x lamb rump
- Robertsons Combination: 5ml crushed Garlic and 5ml Oregano
Smoking mix
- Bag of wood chips
- Zest of two oranges
- 8 rooibos teabags
Equipment :
- Dish Towel, mixing bowl
Method :
Rub the spices into the lamb rump. Place the smoking mix in the Green Egg and smoke rump for 10 minutes. Finish off on the coals.
FOR THE KAROO GRANOLA
Ingredients :
- 100g Flaked almonds
- 1 stalk of lavender
- 1 rooibos tea bag
- 15ml Honey
- 100ml Oats
- 60ml dried apricots
Equipment :
- Food Processor, Pizza stone for Big Green Egg
Method :
Toast all ingredients on the pizza stone in the Big Egg and then blitz in the food processor.
FOR THE PICKLED BEETROOT
Ingredients :
- 2 beetroot, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
- 100ml apple cider vinegar
- 100ml boiling water
- 5ml Robertsons thyme
- 5ml fresh mint leaves
- 5ml mustard seeds
- 100ml castor sugar
Equipment :
- Cutting board, knife, mixing bowl.
Method :
Cut the beetroot into 2cm cubes. Mix with the rest of the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Strain before serving.
FOR THE APPLE FOAM
Ingredients :
- 300ml fresh apple juice
- 10ml lemon juice
- 10ml soy lecithin granules
Equipment :
- Stick blender, mixing bowl, tablespoon.
Method :
Combine ingredients in a mixing bowl. Agitate with the stick blender until all granules have disintegrated. Scoop the foam off the top and serve.
FOR SERVING
Ingredients :
- 2 Nasturtium flowers
- A handful of CARROT CHIPS (just use 2 carrots, sliced lengthways (i.e. not little circles) and fry in oil until crispy
- Micro Kohlrabi leaves (or mustard/basil/beetroot micros)
Equipment :
- Rectangular serving plate, 2 Tablespoons
TO BE MADE BEFOREHAND
- 1 x spinach and watercress puree
- 1 x carrot chips
(Recipe curated with credit to Seline van der Wat)
FOR THE LAMB RACK
Ingredients :
- 1 Lamb Rack (bone)
- Robertson’s Combination: 10ml Crushed garlic and 10ml Thyme
- Zest and juice of a lemon
- Black pepper
- Salt 100ml
- Olive Oil
Equipment :
- Dish Towel, 30cm Foil (for wrapping bones), cutting board and knife
FOR THE SOIL
Ingredients :
- 100ml sweet corn, fried until crispy
- 50g grated parmesan
- 20ml sugar
- 120g butter
- 150g flour
- Robertson’s Ground Cumin
Equipment :
- Spray and Cook greaseproof spray, Baking tray (that fits in Green Egg), Fork, Mixing bowl
Method :
Mix together the flour, spices, sugar and flour. Bake on the pizza stone until crispy. Mix the sweet corn through it.
FOR THE MINTED PEA PUREE
Ingredients :
- Pinch of bicarb
- 1 lemon
- 300ml frozen peas
- 250ml vegetable stock
- 1/2 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 15ml cream
- 80g butter
- salt and pepper
- a handful of fresh mint
Equipment :
- Small saucepan, stick blender, sieve, spatula, 2 mixing bowls.
Method :
Sauté the onion and garlic in half of the butter. Add the peas, bicarb and spices and sauté off for 2 minutes. Add the stock and cook until the peas are totally cooked. Strain off most of the cooking liquid. Blend the peas and mint with the stick blender. Add the rest of the butter and then some of the cream as required for consistency reasons. Add a squeeze of lemon juice, salt and pepper. Strain through the sieve and set aside for plating.
FOR THE APPLE JELLIES
Ingredients :
- 250ml apple juice
- 15ml lemon juice
- 2.5 leaves of gelatine, already soaking in iced water
Equipment :
- Small saucepan
Method :
Heat a third of the apple juice in the saucepan. Dissolved the gelatine leaves in it. Add the rest of the apple and lemon juice and stir to combine in the mixing bowl. Set in a highly greased turbot tray (small enough that the jellies are between 1-3 cm tall). Remove from tray and cu into neat squares to serve.
FOR THE STEWED APPLE
Ingredients :
- 2 royal gala apples
- 2ml Cinnamon
- 2ml Nutmeg
- 40g butter
- 60ml port
- 5ml fresh thyme
Equipment :
- Small ,metal baking tray for Big Green Egg, wooden spoon
Method :
Cut the apples in 2cm cubes and stew in the rest of the ingredients in the big green egg until well cooked.
FOR SERVING
Ingredients :
- Micro Kohlrabi leaves (or mustard/basil/beetroot micros)
Equipment :
- Rectangular serving plate, 2 Tablespoons
TO BE MADE BEFOREHAND
- 1 x Set Apple jellies
- 1 x pea puree (smear consistency)
(Recipe curated with credit to Seline van der Wat)
