April 2019

30-MINUTE DEBONED LAMB

Lamb is a rich, fatty meat, so keep this to serve only once during the week. It’s simple and delicious, and wonderfully enhanced with organic vegetables.

PREPARATION TIME: 10 minutes

COOKING TIME: 30 minutes

400g (14 oz) baby potatoes
200g (7 oz) baby carrots
750g (1.5 lbs) deboned lamb roast

15ml (1 T) olive oil

5 sprigs fresh rosemary

60ml (¼ cup) mint sauce

coarse salt and black pepper

375ml (1½ cups) water

60ml (¼ cup) beef stock

80ml (⅓ cup) red wine

200g (7 oz) sugar snap peas

Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a roasting pan with a liner.

Blanch the potatoes and carrots for 5 minutes in boiling water. Remove and set aside. Rub the lamb with the olive oil. Chop the rosemary and mix with the mint sauce to make a paste. Spread over the meat. Season the lamb with coarse salt and pepper. Scatter the carrots and potatoes around the meat. Roast on the bottom rack of the oven uncovered for about 20 minutes.

Turn the lamb over. Stir in the water, beef stock and red wine together and pour over the lamb after 20 minutes. Scatter the peas with the other vegetables in the pan for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Remove meat from the oven, cover with foil and leave to rest for 5 minutes before carving. It should be a little pink inside.

Slice the lamb and arrange the vegetables around the slices on a platter.

Serves 4

KNEIDLACH

4 jumbo eggs, very well beaten

3 tbs schmaltz or coconut oil

1 flat tsp sugar

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp salt

125g (300 ml) matzo meal

¾ cup cold water

Beat eggs very, very well.

Add shmaltz and then beat eggs again.  Add sugar, cinnamon, salt, matzo meal and water and mix until very soft consistency.

Refrigerate for 1 hour (for matzo meal to absorb liquid).

Bring 4 litres water to boil in a large pot.  Add 1½ -2 tbs salt.  Shape into small balls with wet hands and drop into boiling water.  Turn stove to low and simmer for 20 minutes without removing lid.

Keep in the water and remove with a slotted spoon, when ready to serve and serve with chicken soup.

Makes approx. 15-20 balls.

MAKE AHEAD AND FREEZE. REHEAT IN THE SOUP OR IN A POT OF WATER.

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BASIC CHICKEN SOUP

1 whole chicken, chicken pieces or backs

6-8 carrots, cut into chunks

1 stick celery (with the leaves)

handful of parsley

1 onion, peeled and cut into quarters

2-3 chicken stock cubes or 5 tbs (75ml) Ina Paarman chicken stock powder (or more if necessary)

1 packet chicken giblets (with necks and gizzards, no liver)

Place all ingredients in a large pot. Cover the entire pot with cold water (at least 8 cups water).

Bring to a boil with the lid on. Turn heat down and allow to simmer (cook for a long time on low), with

lid on.

Soup must cook for at least 3-4 hours. Add more water if necessary. Add more stock if necessary for

flavour. The chicken will be very soft.

Strain all vegetables and chicken in a strainer. Purée only the carrots mixed with the liquid from soup.

Shred some chicken if desired and place that back in the soup after puréeing. Adjust seasoning.

Allow the soup to cool without covering before refrigerating or freezing.

TIP: Never let soup cool with the lid on as it goes sour.