Dukkah Crusted Lamb Backstrap with Roasted Veg and Watercress Salad
Serves: 2
Time: 40 to 50 minutes
This is a dish that is very minimal and simple in design but the flavours all blend beautifully and create a really delicious meal. It is also one of those dinners that you could very easily serve to guests with minimum fuss, just prep the veg ahead of time and have your watercress picked and clean. All you would need to do is re-heat the roasties and concentrate on the lamb.
Leftovers
You will need to put some aside for leftovers otherwise you may find there will be nothing left and I also think putting some brown rice or a similar grain on to bulk up your leftovers is a good idea.
What you'll need
2 lamb backstraps 400-500g
Store bought dukkah (did you have any leftover last week?)
1/2 a butternut pumpkin
1 bunch of baby purple carrots
1 red onion
1 large sweet potato
2 red peppers
1/2 a bunch of watercress
balsamic vinegar
Optional Extra
feta or goats cheese
Optional for Veggo’s
halloumi
Optional: Make your own Dukkah
If you have a well stocked pantry you can make your own with the following ingredients; just whizz them up in the food processor or chuck them into your mortar and pestle:
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1/2 tsp dried mint
- 1/4 cup cashew nuts
- sea salt
Prep and Cook
Carb cravings
If you need a carb or starch, a cup of either quinoa or brown rice will go great with this dish. Prep and cook it before you begin the rest of the meal.
Pre heat oven to 200c
Pull your back straps out of the fridge so they can come to room temperature before you start cooking.
Roast Vegetables
To peel or not to peel
I like to leave all the skins on my veg for this dish as it gives it a delicious rustic vibe but go ahead and peel yours if skins are not your thing.
Give your carrots a nice quick scrub under water to get rid of any soil.
Chop pumpkin up nice and chunky and toss in oil with some salt and pepper.
Do the same with your sweet potato, keeping them a similar size.
Arrange on a baking tray lined with paper and pop in the oven.
Slice baby carrots in half and toss in oil with salt and pepper.
Cut your onion in half then into 4 pieces, toss in oil, splash with a little balsamic.
Lay carrots and onion out on another baking tray lined with paper and pop in the oven.
Set your timer for 30 minutes.
If you stick to this order, both trays should be ready at the same time.
Wash Watercress
Cress Tip:
Be ruthless. This doesn’t need to take forever. You will lose a lot - I always have a substantial amount of waste from this leaf, but what you are getting rid of is the nasty leaves and the large stalks and what you're left with is delicious as well as beautiful.
Pick through your watercress, taking out the healthy tips and pretty leaves. (You could pick and wash it all, just save half for the fritters).
Plunge the watercress into a deep bowl of cold water and wash gently with your hands, then pick up out of the bowl and shake off any excess water. Transfer into a colander. Doing it this way leaves all the dirt and any bugs behind in the bowl of water.
Roast Red Peppers
Slice the peppers in half and remove the core, give the pepper a tap to remove the loose seeds by holding inside your palm and clapping against your other hand.
Slice into large chunks, toss in oil and salt and pepper.
Remove the carrots and onion tray and sprinkle the peppers over the top.
Return the tray for the remainder of the 30 minutes.
Pan Fry Lamb
Warm up a large non stick fry pan with enough olive oil to lightly cover the base, you want a medium to high heat - I go one notch below high.
Sprinkle your dukkah generously onto a plate and press your lamb into the dukkah till you have a nice even coating on both sides.
Check your pan is hot - you want the oil to sizzle if you drop a pinch of dukkah in.
Fry on each side for 3 minutes and then remove from the pan and rest for another 3 minutes.
Plate it Pretty
Toss all your roasted veg together with the washed watercress.
Use your hands to gently clump one nice rustic line of salad down half your plate. Arrange a few sprigs of watercress over the top.
Slice each backstrap on a 45 degree angle into approx. eight slices.
Fan out beside your salad in a slight crescent shape.
Sprinkle with a little cheese if you have some.
Enjoy!
Lamb Salad
A whole backstrap can be too much for one person so we only have ¾ of one each and then what’s left gets saved for a salad for lunch the next day. We had some ends of goats cheese left in the cheese compartment which went perfectly as a salad addition. Add any leftover roasted veg and salad greens. If you’re a touch hungry try adding some cooked brown rice or any other kind of grain that needs using up.