Week 22 - Roast Lamb with Chimichurri Sauce

Lamb is such a treat in this household, so when the OH came home with a leg I couldn't wait to find a recipe. Chimichurri is something I have always loved but never attempted. Perhaps as the last time was at a friends barbeque and she did such a great job I just couldn't face it! It has now been 3 years and it was finally time. The mixture of the heat from the chilli and tartness of the vinegar is something that is just so delicious. You can either use chimichurri as a marinade or a dipping sauce, I elected for the sauce and seasoned the lamb as per the recipe. Yay for Sunday night Lamb.

The original lamb recipe had a mint sauce on the side which you can find on Jamie Online. 

Book: 

Lamb from http://www.jamieoliver.com

Chimichurri from 15 Minute Meals

Recipe: Best Roast Lamb with Chimichurri Sauce

Ingredients: 

Serves 8

For the Lamb

1 bulb garlic, 3 cloves peeled and crushed, the others left whole

1 small bunch fresh rosemary, half the leaves removed and coarsely chopped, half in sprigs

1 lemon, zest of

olive oil

2 kg quality leg of lamb

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1.5 kg potatoes, peeled and cut in half

For the Chimichurri

4 cloves of garlic

6 spring onions

2 heaped tsp dried oregano

½ a fresh red chilli

1 fresh bay leaf

1 bunch coriander

2-3 tbsp red wine vinegar

Method: 

For the Lamb

Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºC/gas 6 and place a roasting dish for the potatoes on the bottom.

Mix the crushed garlic, chopped rosemary, lemon zest and olive oil together. Season the lamb with salt and pepper and rub the marinade into it. Place on the hot bars of the oven above the tray.

Boil the potatoes, simmer for 10 minutes and scuff the edges. Add the rosemary sprigs and whole garlic cloves, season with salt and pepper and drizzle over a good lug of olive oil. Tip the potatoes into the tray and place under the lamb to catch all the lovely juices.

To make the mint sauce, mix the chopped mint, sugar, salt, hot water and wine vinegar.

Cook the lamb for about an hour and 15 minutes if you want it pink, or an hour and a half if you want it more well done. Take it out of the oven and cover with tinfoil and leave for 15 minutes before serving. Carve and serve with the potatoes and mint sauce.

Tip: Try putting a few parsnips or carrots in with the roast potatoes.

For the Chimichurri

Add all ingredients to a food processor and add a little boiling water and whiz until smooth.

Season to taste and pour into a bowl.

I have omitted the mint sauce recipe as I did not use it, although if mint is more your thing you can find it on http://www.jamieoliver.com.

Changes Made: I added some sweet potato along with the potato. As I did not have any new potatoes and mine were quite large I chopped them into wedges. Also, while I am growing to like coriander I don't yet love it, so substituted half for parsley. Also used 2 chillies, not one half.

Results: Yum! The lamb was cooked perfectly and went well with the sauce. 

Next Time: More chilli, but thats just because I am a little obsessed.

Week 21 - English Onion Soup

I have been a little bit obsessed with making french onion soup for a long time now. There is just something about the sweet oniony goodness that I cannot ignore. I loved the idea of 'as many different' types of onions' as possible and it allows for varying taste and texture. I have just recently discovered worcestershire sauce so this was a great opportunity to enjoy it. This recipe was so easy (as usual) but tastes amazing (also as usual), it really is something special and made to share.

5 types of onion

Reduced down and ready for the lid

Book: Jamie at Home

Recipe: English Onion Soup with Sage and Cheddar

Ingredients: 

Serves 8

Good knob of butter

Olive oil

Handful fresh sage leaves, 8 leaves reserved for garnish

6 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

5 red onions, peeled and sliced

3 large white onions, peeled and sliced

3 banana shallots, peeled and sliced

300g ounces leeks, trimmed, washed and sliced

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 cups good-quality hot beef, chicken or vegetable stock

8 slices good-quality stale bread, 3/4-inch thick

200g ounces freshly grated Cheddar

Worcestershire sauce

Method: 

Put the butter, 2 glugs of olive oil, the sage and garlic into a heavy bottomed, nonstick pan. Stir everything round and add the onions, shallots and leeks. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place a lid on the pan, leaving it slightly ajar, and cook slowly for 50 minutes, without coloring the vegetables too much. Remove the lid for the last 20 minutes, the onions will become soft and golden. Stir occasionally so that nothing catches on the bottom. Having the patience to cook the onions slowly, slowly, gives you an incredible sweetness and an awesome flavor, so don't be tempted to speed this up.

When your onions and leeks are lovely and silky, add the stock. Bring to the boil, turn the heat down and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. You can skim any fat off the surface if you like, but I prefer to leave it because it adds good flavor.

Preheat the oven or broiler to maximum. Toast your bread on both sides. Correct the seasoning of the soup. When it's perfect, ladle it into individual heatproof serving bowls and place them on a baking sheet. Tear toasted bread over each bowl to t like a lid. Feel free to push and dunk the bread into the soup a bit. Sprinkle with some grated Cheddar and drizzle over a little Worcestershire sauce.

Dress your reserved sage leaves with some olive oil and place 1 on top of each slice of bread. Put the baking sheet into the preheated oven or under the broiler to melt the cheese until bubbling and golden. Keep an eye on it and make sure it doesn't burn! When the cheese is bubbling, very carefully lift out the baking sheet and carry it to the table.

Changes Made: I halved the recipe and it was still enough for 3 + a lot of leftovers. 

Results: Devine! This was a really special dish which invoked all sorts of warm and fuzzy emotions. Perfect for an Australian winter day.

Next Time: Nothing, and cannot wait!