Spring lamb

September 10, 2008

As the weather warms up, it’s time to lighten the menu and partner lamb with crisp salad greens and fragrant herbs. Find inspiration in these luscious lamb recipes, which take advantage of fresh, seasonal produce and guarantee to get your Spring-time started on the right note.

Char-grilled lamb cutlets with spring salad

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 8 minutes
Serves: 4

12 frenched lamb cutlets
2 tsp barbecue spice
50g mixed salad leaves
1 cup shredded red cabbage
1 cup shredded snow peas
1 large carrot, grated
1 punnet cherry tomatoes, halved
bottled salad dressing

Brush each lamb cutlet lightly with oil and season with the barbecue spice. Preheat the char-grill pan to hot before adding the cutlets.

Cook the lamb cutlets on one side until the first sign of moisture appears on the top. Turn and cook further until done to your preference. Turn once only. Test for doneness with tongs. Rare is soft when pressed, medium is springy and well done is very firm.

Remove the lamb cutlets from heat, loosely cover with foil and rest for 2 minutes before serving. Toss together the salad leaves, cabbage, snow peas, carrot and tomatoes. Drizzle with the dressing. Serve spring salad with the lamb cutlets.

Barbecued lamb loin chops with avocado salad
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 8 minutes
Serves: 4

8 lamb loin chops
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 baby cos lettuce, torn into bite size pieces
1 bunch watercress, washed and trimmed
1 avocado, sliced
4 radishes, thinly sliced
¼ cup balsamic or French salad dressing

Brush the lamb chops lightly with oil. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with rosemary. Preheat the barbecue flat-plate or char-grill plate to hot before adding the lamb.

Cook on one side until the first sign of moisture appears. Turn lamb once only. Test the lamb chops for degree of doneness with tongs. Rare is soft, medium feels springy and well done is very firm.

Remove lamb from heat, loosely cover with foil and rest for 3 minutes before serving. Toss together the lettuce, watercress, avocado and radishes, drizzle with the salad dressing. Serve salad with the lamb chops.

Roast leg of lamb with zucchini salad
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Serves: 4

1.5kg easy carve lamb leg
5 sprigs of fresh thyme
4 medium zucchini, cut into thin ribbons with a vegetable peeler
1 small yellow capsicum, thinly sliced
half a red onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
2 tbsp French salad dressing

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place lamb in a roasting dish, brush lightly with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the thyme over lamb. Roast for 1 hour for rare, 1 hour and 15 minutes for medium or 1½ hours for well done.

Remove lamb, cover loosely and rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Toss together the zucchini ribbons, onion, mint and salad dressing. Serve alongside the lamb.

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Recipes courtesy of Meat and Livestock Australia