THEGAYUK

Tag: Lamb

  • RECIPE | Lamb And Lentils

    Lamb & Lentils

    Serves 2 | Prep 5 mins | Cook 25 mins

    Earthy & spicy. I enjoy serving this crispy lamb dish with a Spiced Whole Roasted Cauliflower. Mainly because it goes wonderfully with the cauliflower’s leftover yoghurt marinade. If you didn’t want to serve the cauliflower with it then a normal low fat natural yoghurt would go nicely. Lentils and yoghurt are renowned for their beneficial digestion properties. This meal would also go really well served with warmed pita breads.

     

    GREEN LENTILS- Lentils are a slow-burning energy giver from it’s complex carbohydrate composition. The high levels of soluble fibre mean that lentils can help lower cholesterol, reduce your risk of heart disease (as they also contain folate & magnesium) , and have great digestive health properties; prevent constipation, slow down digestion and stabilize blood sugar levels. (SOURCE; http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-5488/7-Health-Benefits-of-Lentils.html )

     

    Ingredients

    250g lamb mince

    1 tbsp olive oil

    1 can cooked green lentils, with its liquid reserved

    1 garlic clove, finely chopped

    1 tsp cumin

    Bunch of Coriander, finely chopped

    Small Chipotle chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (I buy these from my supermarket dried and rehydrate them in hot water. Alternatively you could use a teaspoon of chilli powder, or omit if you’re not a fan of a kick)

     

    Method.

    1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and begin to brown the lamb mince.
    2. Once browned add the cumin, garlic, and chilli to the pan and continue frying for a minute longer.
    3. Add the lentils to the pan and mix together with the lamb. You want to cook this all together for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want to crisp the lentils during this process. Don’t worry about any sticking to the pan as we will add a little liquid.

    If the lentils are burning then reduce the heat.

    1. Add about half of the reserved liquid from the can to the pan and cook for a few minutes. You want a consistency that is leaning more towards a dry sauce.
    2. Serve with scattered coriander.

     

  • RECIPE: Lamb Tajine Soup

    Lamb Tajine Soup

    Serves 4, or 4 x work lunches

    Prep 10 mins

    Cook 60 mins

    Freezable

    I really wanted to capture the essence of a Moroccan classic in a bowl. Something to brighten my day at work, and trick me into thinking I’m abroad where the sun shines all day long. I had some leftovers from my Roasted Med Veg  and decided to create this recipe. If you don’t “just so happen” to have roasted med veg leftovers, then most supermarkets do offer a frozen version which has been pre-roasted for you- simply use / cook them in the same way in the method below.

    I’m very aware of how many fruit and vegetables I am consuming in the day and this vegetable based soup will definitely help you on your way to achieving 7 a day. Three heaped tablespoons of cooked vegetables count as 1 portion.

    ANTIOXIDANTS – The beta carotene in this soup is evident from it’s vibrant colour. Tomatoes, carrots, peppers, and onions are all antioxidant havens and will help promote healthy skin and give your immune system a boost. Tomatoes and onions also have documented coverage on their anti-cancer properties.

    Ingredients

    1 tbsp carotino oil (or any other healthy cooking oil of your choice, I use carotino oil for its colour and vitamin properties)

    250g cooked roasted med veg (tomatoes, peppers, courgettes etc.)

    6 vine tomatoes, chopped

    3 onions, finely chopped

    2 large carrots, chopped

    2 garlic cloves, chopped

    1 lamb stock cube (made up with 1ltr of water)

    ½ tbsp sweet chilli sauce

    ½ tsp caraway seeds

    ½ tsp cumin

    Instructions

    1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry off the onion for 10 minutes.
    2. Add the carrot, tomato, and spices until the tomatoes soften.
    3. Tip in your roasted vegetables along with the stock.
    4. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer until the carrots are tender.
    5. Use a hand blender or other kitchen instrument to blend the soup until smooth.
    6. I think it looks pretty to dry-roast some extra caraway seeds until they start to pop in the pan, and add on top of each serving, along with a drizzle of oil.