Lamb Steaks with Mediterranean Sauce

Makes a delicious weekday supper or summertime lunch. The ingredients for the sauce can be varied infinitely to suit your tastes, be bold and have a go at creating your own version.

Serves 2
Approx. 3 hours including making the oven dried tomatoes

• 15-20 Cherry tomatoes
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• ½ tsp dried herbs (provencal, oregano or thyme is good)
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp sea salt (pref. Maldon flaked)
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp Tomato puree
• Handful of halved black olives
• Glass of dry white wine
• 1 x 1inch thick Lamb leg steaks
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
• ½ tsp sea salt

1. Halve and partially deseed the tomatoes and place in a bowl with the crushed garlic, salt, pepper and herbs.
2. Leave to stand in a cool place for about an hour stirring occasionally.
3. Preheat the oven to 120°C / 250°F / Gas Mk ½.
4. Place a wire cooling rack over a baking tray and arrange the tomato halves on the wire rack cut side up. The juices out of the tomatoes and some of the garlic will be left in the bowl, set this aside for later.
5. Now bake the tomatoes nice and slowly for about 45 minutes until they are dried on the outside and slightly firm but not crisp.
6. Put the tomatoes into a clean bowl, add the 2 tsp olive oil, stir to combine and set aside.
7. Heat the 2 tbsp olive oil in a medium pan (with a lid) over a medium high heat. When it starts to shimmer add the fennel seeds and bay leaf and fry for a minute until the fennel releases its fragrance.
8. Add the onion and the garlic from the reserved tomato juices to the pan and fry for 5 minutes until the onion is softened and becoming golden.
9. Add the tomato puree and cook it stirring for a minute then add the olives and half of the wine.
10. Turn down to a low light and cook slowly covered.
11. Now pat dry the lamb steaks, brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
12. Fry in a dry hot frying pan for about 5 minutes on each side for pink or longer if you prefer, set aside in a warm place for five minutes to rest.
13. Deglaze the meat pan with the remainder of the wine then add this to the tomatoe mixture.
14. When the sauce is becoming sticky serve in the centre of a plate with the lamb steaks on top.
15. Serve with simple boiled rice or a green salad.

Tags: lamb, tomato, olive, onion, sauce

Uncle RAG’s Faultless 5 Hour Roast Lamb

A lot of people claim not to like lamb but generally I think this is because they are brought up with the acrid smell of New Zealand lamb (my opinion of course). English lamb is much more subtle in flavour and there is much less of a fatty smell when cooking. This is a super-simple recipe that originated from a Jamie Oliver recipe, adapted by Uncle Rag and further tickled by me which results in buttery soft meat that you could quite literally carve off the bone with a spoon and spread on toast!
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
Approx. 1.5kg Whole Leg of English Lamb on the bone
Seasonal root veg to your liking cut into large chunks or left whole
1 Bottle of good white wine
Handful or Rosemary, Thyme & 2-3 fresh Bay Leaves
Sea salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Crusty bread to serve

Method

• Preheat the oven to 150°C / 300°F / Gas Mk 2.
• Pat the meat dry with some kitchen paper, season and brown rapidly on all sides in a large frying pan then put the meat into a large heavy casserole or roasting tin.
• Now fry the veg to give it a little colour and add to the meat fitting the veg around the joint.
• Drop in the herbs scattering them evenly through the dish.
• Pour a glassful of white wine into the hot frying pan to de-glaze it and add to the casserole followed by the rest of the bottle of white wine.
• Now refill the wine bottle with tap water and add this to the pan ensuring all the veg is covered.
• Add a tight fitting heavy lid or make an airtight lid with tin foil then put in the oven for five hours.
• Serve straight on the table so your guests can dig in themselves, dipping bread in the wonderful juices!

Tags: lamb, Potatoes, White wine, Parsnips, carrots, swede