Shake off the blanket and turn off the heater. Spring is here and it’s time to enjoy some new recipes with Aussie lamb.
Lamb loin chop, tomato and pesto tart
Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 6 small (approx. 125g each) lamb loin chops, excess fat trimmed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 250g full-fat ricotta cheese
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 375g butter puff pastry sheets, thawed
- ¼ cup dry breadcrumbs
- 300g baby tomatoes, halved + extra, to serve
- ⅓ cup grated tasty cheese or mozzarella
- ⅓ cup good quality pesto
- 60g feta cheese, crumbled
- 30g baby rocket leaves
- small basil leaves, baby salad leaves, Lebanese cucumber, sliced, to serve
Method:
Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced). Grease and line a large baking tray with baking paper.
Brush lamb chops with oil and season. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat and cook lamb, 3-4 minutes each side or until cooked to your liking. Rest on a plate loosely covered in foil until required.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine ricotta, lemon zest and juice and half the egg. Season.
Place puff pastry on prepared baking tray. Leaving a 2cm border brush the pastry with a little egg and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Spoon ricotta mixture onto pastry, spreading evenly over pastry. Top with tomatoes. Season. Fold edges of pastry in to create a rim and brush pastry with egg.
Cook in oven for 20-25 minutes or until pastry is puffed and golden, sprinkling with grated cheese and adding chops to the top of the tart for final 5 minutes of cooking. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
Cut tart into squares, dollop with pesto, sprinkle with feta and top with extra tomatoes, baby rocket and basil leaves. Serve with salad leaves and cucumber.
Tips:
Lamb loin, fillet or rump or leg steaks would also work well in this recipe – cook lamb, slice and place on tart, to serve.
Add extra pre-roasted vegetables to the top of the tart if desired – try zucchini, beetroots, pumpkin or sweet potato.
You may need to join 2 thawed puff pastry sheets together depending on the brand.
Lemongrass and chilli lamb cutlets
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 8 lamb cutlets, excess fat trimmed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 long red chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped
- 1 lemongrass stalk, white part only, finely chopped
- ½ red onion, finely diced
- 1 large avocado, diced
- 150g grape tomatoes, diced
- 1 Lebanese cucumber, diced
- Zest and juice of 1 lime + extra wedges, to serve
- 2 tbsp mint leaves, finely chopped + extra sprigs, to serve
- baby salad leaves, red capsicum, thinly sliced, to serve.
Method:
Place lamb cutlets, half the oil, chilli and lemongrass in a large snap-lock bag. Season and toss well to coat.
Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat and cook cutlets, in batches, if necessary, for 3-4 minutes each side or until cooked to your liking. Set aside on a plate loosely covered with foil to rest for 5 minutes.
In a medium bowl place onion, avocado, tomatoes and cucumber and add lime zest and juice, mint and remaining oil. Season and toss well to coat.
Serve cutlets with avocado salsa, lime wedges, mint leaves, salad leaves and capsicum.
Tips:
For an alternative to whole sausages either chop the sausages up into 4cm pieces after cooking or squeeze the filling out of the casings and roll into small meatballs.
Swap spinach for baby spinach or chopped kale; use whatever grated cheese you have in the fridge.
Pour the ½ cup water into the cherry tomato can and swirl around before adding to the oven-proof dish.
Source: Australian Lamb