Charred Lamb to die for! We are back in Johannesburg again. Picture it – warm balmy night with high humidity. Cool glasses of great red wine with thunder and lightning storms breaking under the African sky. The storms in Africa are very much like the African continent. Fierce, threatening and violent – but over in a matter of minutes. There is nothing more intoxicating than the smell of rain on the African Savanna.
I spent the evening with clients and some old and some not so old South African friends. Much wine was drunk, old stories retold, and a fabulous evening was had by all.
This outstanding meal was served at a Parktown suburb, restaurant La Boquira. Flame-cooked Charred Lamb and some really interesting flavors. I’ve fiddled a bit for my own convenience but the essence of the dish remains true.
The cut of lamb you need can either be some thick cut, deboned chops (your butcher can do this for you) of a lovely lamb fillet which is a bit more difficult to source.
Charred Lamb
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Loading...I like to serve my Charred Lamb with Chimichurri Sauce to which I have added some chopped mint – it really adds a nice clean crisp flavor to the dish. We have also marinated the Charred Lamb in Chimichurri for about 20 mins before cooking which adds a nice taste.
Ingredients
- 4 Good Quality Lamb Steaks or Lamb Fillet
- 1 Hand-full Pommegranite Seeds
- 1 tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil (We prefer Huille de Vee)
- 4 Tbsp Houmous I tend to buy ready made - but recipe coming soon
Instructions
Baste the lamb with the Olive Oil before you put on to the hot pan – you need to retain the flavors the Olive oil brings and if you add straight to the pan they tend to be lost.
Griddle the lamb to texture and color that suits your palate.
In the meantime, smear a good tablespoon full of Humous on to your serving plates.
When the Charred Lamb is cooked, rest for a few minutes so that it tenderizes naturally.
Slice the Charred Lamb and arrange on your plates
Sprinkle the Charred Lamb with the Pomegranate and serve and enjoy.
Notes
This dish is really simple to make either on your barbecue where you will need some family hot heat (I find if I hold my hand over the grill and count to ten and not burn myself then it's a perfect heat). Or in a cast iron griddle pan where the same principle applies.
Accompaniment
To follow through the Mediterranean flavors with your Charred Lamb is to serve with a Black Bean, Avocado and Sweet Corn Salad. Should you feel you need a starch with this dish, we like Gnocchi that has been twice cooked. Boil and strain your Gnocchi in the usual way and before serving fry off in the Charred Lamb juices that remain in the pan.
Another nice accompaniment with Charred Lamb is a few blobs of Pomegranate Molasses which you can find in most delicatessens and supermarkets. (the best comes from Turkey)
Helpful Hint
I like to serve my Charred Lamb with Chimichurri Sauce to which I have added some chopped mint – it really adds a nice clean crisp flavor to the dish. We have also marinated the Charred Lamb in Chimichurri for about 20 mins before cooking which adds a nice taste.
Wine Matching
We couldn’t resist this wine, could we! Kruger Family Merlot 2014. Stellenbosch is the beating heart of the South African wine industry. It has the perfect soils and climate to make some of the best Merlot on the planet. From the first sip, it’s velvety soft and silky, like proper Merlot should be. With big warm hugs of red fruit. To really lift the flavor and intensify the lovely rich finish, The Winemaker has added a cheeky splash of Malbec. Available from Naked Wines
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