(All Recipes have Gluten-Free Options)
Lamb & Chickpea Curry (Serve 4)
This dish is packed with spice and flavour. It’s simple to make and particularly delicious with the surprise addition of chickpeas – thank you to the ‘Tom Kerridge Cooks Britain’ cookbook for this recipe! Serve with saffron rice (recipe below) or plain rice.
1 kg lamb neck fillet
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large onions, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, finely grated
7.5cm piece of ginger, finely grated
1 cinnamon stick
5 cardamom pods
5 cloves
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 tablespoons garam masala
1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons tomato purée
400g tin chickpeas, drained
Coriander leaves, to finish
- Cut the lamb into 4cm pieces and set aside
- Place a large casserole over a medium-high heat and add the oil. When hot, add the onions and cook, stirring often, for 8-10 minutes until softened and turning a deep golden brown.
- Reduce the heat a little and add the garlic and ginger to the pan. Stir over the heat for 2 minutes, then add the whole and ground spices, and the salt. Cook, stirring, for a further 2 minutes, then add the tomato purée. Stir well and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Now add the lamb, along with 250ml water and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and put the lid on. Cook at a gentle simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the lid and give the curry a good stir. Cook, uncovered, for a further 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so.
- Tip in the chickpeas, stir and cook for another 20 -30 minutes, or until the lamb is meltingly tender. Taste and check the seasoning and adjust as necessary.
- Serve the curry scattered with coriander, with rice or a warm naan bread on the side.
Saffron Rice (Serves 4)
A pinch of saffron strands
200g basmati rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, crushed
350ml chicken stock or water
1 bay leaf
1 small lime, zested
Sea salt
- Add the saffron threads to a mortar and pestle, and grind into a fine powder. Mix with 3 tablespoons of water to draw out colour and flavour (this process is called blooming). Set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a pan over a medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the diced onion. Cook, stirring, until the onion softens. Add the crushed garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the rice to the pan and toss until well coated with the onion mixture. Add the bloomed saffron mixture and mix well.
- Add the stock or water, bay leaf and lime zest. Give the mixture a good stir, then bring the to the boil. Once boiling, turn the heat to low and cover the pot. Cook until the rice has absorbed the water, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Turn the heat off. Leave the rice, covered and undisturbed for 5 more minutes. Then remove the bay leaf, fluff the rice with a fork and serve.
Spiced ‘Shepherd’s Pie’ with Butterbean Crust (Serves 6)
This is a recipe from Ottolenghi’s cookbook, ‘Simple’. And yes, despite being a ‘Shepherd’s Pie’ it’s incredibly easy to make as there is no need to boil and mash potatoes – the topping is simply canned butterbeans which are roughly mashed with a fork; it couldn’t be easier! In addition, it explodes with flavour, there’s spice from the harissa, sweetness from the apricots and a touch of bitterness from the green olives – it’s wonderful!
90ml olive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
3 banana shallots (180g), thinly sliced
600g lamb mince
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 tablespoon ground allspice
2 lemons, finely grate the zest to get 2 teaspoons
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons rose harissa (I use ‘Belazu’)
100g dried apricots, quartered
280ml chicken stock
220ml white wine
80g pitted green olives, halved lengthways
3 x 400g tins butterbeans, drained and rinsed
4 tablespoons tahini
Sea salt and black pepper
- Put 3 tablespoons of oil into a large pan, for which you have a lid, and place on a medium-high heat. Add the garlic and shallots and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft and golden.
- Increase the heat to high and add the lamb, cumin, allspice, half the lemon zest and ½ teaspoon salt. Fry for 5 minutes until browned, stirring every now and then, then add the tomato paste, harissa and apricots. Fry for another 2 minutes then pour over the stock and wine. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, covered for 30 minutes.
- Once cooked, set aside to cool and add the olives. Spoon into a 20x25cm ovenproof highsided dish and refrigerate for at least half an hour. This will firm up the meat making it easier to spread the mash on top.
- Meanwhile make the mash. Mix the butterbeans in a bowl with the remaining lemon zest, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the tahini paste, 3 tablespoons of water, ¾ teaspoon of salt and a grind of black pepper. Use a potato masher to mash the beans, they don’t need to be completely smooth, just spreadable.
- Spread the mash over the lamb, then use a spoon to make a few shallow dips. Drizzle over the remaining tablespoon of oil and bake in a preheated oven, 180’c fan, for 30 minutes until nicely coloured and bubbly. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Spiced Lamb Meatballs with Peas (Serves 4)
This is chef, Simon Hopkinson’s take on a Indian ‘Keema Curry’ – a deluxe version; these subtly spiced meatballs are wonderfully moreish. It makes a great family supper or doubled up it’s perfect for feeding a crowd so it’s a good option for a casual get-together…
*I find it easier to brown the meatballs in the oven as this helps to keep their shape, however you could, as the original recipe suggests, brown them in the pan with the butter (stage3/4).
350g onions, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil (plus a little more to grease)
750g minced lamb
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 tablespoon garam marsala
½ teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh chopped mint (plus an extra handful, coarsely chopped)
1 egg, beaten
50g butter
½ stick cinnamon
4 cloves
4 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
350g frozen peas
150ml plain yogurt
Juice of 1 lemon
- First of all dry roast the coriander and cumin seeds in a frying pan until fragrant, then grind with a pestle and mortar. Leave to one side.
- Fry the onions and garlic in the oil until golden brown, allow to cool before mixing into the lamb together with the all the spices, salt, the tablespoon of chopped mint and the beaten egg.
- Form the mixture into balls the size of a walnut, then place on an oiled baking tray and brush with a little more oil. Bake in a preheated oven, 220’c fan, for about 15 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden brown (*see note above). Remove to one side.
- Melt the butter in a frying pan, add the meatballs, cinnamon and cloves, stir over a medium heat for a minute or two before adding the tomatoes and peas. Allow the tomatoes to collapse and exude their juices then stir in the yogurt. Cook for a further 20 minutes.
- Finally add the lemon juice, a handful of coarsely chopped mint and a little salt if necessary. Serve with rice.
Sumac and Chilli Spiced Rack of Lamb with Sweet Pomegranate Sauce (Serves 4)
I first tasted this lamb at a friend’s house and I asked for the recipe straight away! It’s one of those recipes which has changed hands multiple times, so unfortunately I have failed to trace the cookbook it first appeared in, which is a shame as the author really does deserve a round of applause as it’s a fantastically simple recipe! All it needs is a good green salad on the side, but if you have the time and inclination it’s particularly delicious with ‘Roasted Squash, Crispy Lentils, Pomegranate & Dukkah’ (recipe here).
For the Lamb:
3 tablespoons crushed or ground sumac
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon mild chilli flakes or powder
2 lamb racks (6 cutlets each), French trimmed
4 tablespoons olive oil
For the Sauce:
150ml pomegranate molasses
50ml grenadine
50ml water
- About an hour before cooking combine the sumac, cumin and chilli in a bowl and season. Arrange the lamb racks on a roasting tray and rub all over with the sumac mix. Drizzle with a little olive oil and allow to rest for an hour (or more) in the fridge
- Roast the racks for 20 minutes in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, (if you have a meat thermometer it should register 65-70’c). Allow to rest for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce. Put all the ingredients in a small saucepan, bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 10-12 minutes, until you have a syrupy consistency and have reduced the liquid by half.
- To serve, slice into cutlets and drizzle with the pomegranate sauce.
Lamb and Saffron Tagine (Serves 6 and the rest!)
This tagine is from Marcus Wareing’s cookbook ‘Marcus At Home’, I’m not sure how authentic it is, but it’s delicious; I find its sweetness immediately comforting. This generous recipe will no doubt give you leftovers, so if you make it at the weekend it will also give you a good week day dinner, plus it freezes well! Before you start cooking, remember to marinate the lamb for up to 48 hours beforehand, in this way the meat will be wonderfully flavoured. You can serve it simply with rice or, if you can tolerate gluten, couscous.
1.8 kg diced neck or shoulder of lamb
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
800ml passata or tinned chopped tomatoes
750ml chicken stock
2 teaspoons saffron strands, soaked in 1 tablespoon warm water
200g dried dates, halved
100g golden sultanas
75g pistachio nuts, chopped
Sea salt and black pepper
Fresh Mint, chopped, to serve
For the Marinade:
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1½ teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons groundnut oil
- Up to 48 hours before or at least the night before cooking this dish, place the marinade spices in a large bowl and mix to combine. Add the oil and lamb, mix well to coat the lamb. Cover and leave in the fridge to marinate.
- Put a large casserole over a medium heat with 1 tablespoon of oil. Saute the onions for around 10 minutes until they are softened but not coloured. Add the garlic and ginger for the last 3-4 minutes.
- While the onions are cooking, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Add the lamb, in batches, and brown on all sides
- Pour around half the stock into the lamb to deglaze the pan and transfer this with all the lamb to the casserole with the onions.
- Add the passata or tomatoes, the remaining stock, saffron and soaking liquid, dates, sultanas and most of the pistachios (reserving some for decoration).
- Bring to the boil, cover with a lid and transfer to a preheated oven, 150’c fan, for 2½ hours until the meat is tender and the sauce is thickened. Serve sprinkled with chopped mint and the remaining chopped pistachios.
Lamb Kofta Curry with Rice (Serves 4)
This Kofta Curry is taken from Simon Hopkinson’s wonderful cookbook, ‘Roast Chicken and Other Stories; Second Helpings’. It is an absolutely delicious, mildly spiced dish with a creamy finish, the flavours have real depth; don’t be alarmed by its slightly oily, separated look, as, as Hopkinson himself says, “this is a sure sign of its authenticity”. Admittedly, although a very straightforward recipe, it’s not the quickest meal for midweek, as you have to make the meatballs and fry them before adding them to a sauce, so you might prefer to make this at the weekend – but do try it, as it is very tasty! I like to serve this with white long grain rice, it is also good with some poppadoms and chutneys on the side!
4 onions, finely chopped (to save time I use a food processor for this!)
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
700g minced lamb
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 tablespoon garam masala
½ teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped
1 egg, beaten
Flour (gluten free if required)
50g butter
½ stick cinnamon
4 cloves
4 cardamom pods
4 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
Juice of 1 lemon (or 2 limes)
12 fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
400ml coconut milk
(To serve: rice, poppadoms and chutneys)
- Fry the onions and garlic in the oil until golden brown. Place on a plate to cool.
- Meanwhile, in small frying pan, dry roast the coriander and cumin seeds until fragrant (a couple of minutes), then grind in a pestle and mortar.
- Place the lamb in a bowl, adding the fried onions and mixing in the ground coriander and cumin, the turmeric, garam masala, chilli powder, pepper, salt, mint and egg. Form the mixture into walnut sized balls (koftas), roll in the flour and fry in the butter, in batches, until golden brown all over, remove to a plate.
- Add the cinnamon, cloves and cardamom pods to the pan, fry for a minute or so, then stir in the chopped tomatoes and top with the koftas. Cook gently for about 10 minutes until the tomatoes are softened and pulpy.
- Add the lemon or lime juice, roughly chopped mint leaves and the coconut milk, stir gently.
- Bring to a simmer and gently cook for 20-25 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Taste for salt.
- Serve on a bed of rice, with chutneys and poppadoms on the side.
Lamb Biryani (Serves 4)
This is a lovely ‘one pot’ recipe, great for using up leftovers – you could make it with other roast meats such as chicken, beef or pork. It’s definitely a recipe that you will want to make again and again, an easy Monday option!
200g basmati rice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2cm piece ginger, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 handfuls baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 tablespoon plain flour (gluten free if required)
2 tablespoons mango chutney
200g leftover roast lamb, or whatever you have left (see note above)
1 cup lamb or chicken stock
50g almond flakes
50g butter, melted
Sea salt and black pepper
Greek natural yogurt to serve
Fresh coriander, chopped, to serve
- Cooke the basmati rice according to the instructions on the packet, and set aside.
- Place the oil, ginger, garlic and onion in an ovenproof dish and cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Add the spinach and cook for a further 5 minutes.
- Add the curry powder, flour, chutney, and the chopped lamb, season with salt and pepper then stir well. Pour in the lamb stock. Top with the reserved, cooked rice, sprinkle with the almonds and drizzle with the melted butter. Cover with a lid (or tin foil) and place in a preheated oven, 200’c fan.
- After 20 minutes remove the lid and continue to cook for a further 20 minutes.
- Serve topped with the yogurt and the chopped coriander.
Menu Mistress 