Roasted spiced lamb and root vegetables (From The Argus)

Roasted spiced lamb and root vegetables

3:43pm Wednesday 3rd March 2010 in Blogs By Dana Jerling - Dana's home cooking

This is a winter warmer with a difference. I don’t know about any of you but I sometimes get a mid week craving for something as homely and filling as a roast and this is my answer. Ready in about 40 minutes, I can make this after work and know that I have eaten well.

The title implies heat from the spice but actually there is flavour, but no heat. The root vegetables ready cut pack is a way of cutting a whole step of cooking this dinner out, but you can chop up your own root vegetables or make this with leftover vegetables. You can have any combination of potatoes, Swede, carrots, celeriac or a combination of all. I have often made it with whatever is left in my cupboard and needs to be used up.

I’m sticking to a 10 items and under theme, so you can go to the supermarket use the express lane and get home as quick as possible.

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 lamb neck fillets (approx 500g)

2tsp cumin seeds

2tsp coriander seeds

2tbsp paprika

6tbsp olive oil

300g Greek yoghurt

1 cucumber

1 bunch fresh mint

2 bag (500g approx) Ready cut pack of root vegetables / sweet potato and butternut pack

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 7 2. Toast your spices; this can be done by placing your cumin and coriander seeds in an un-oiled pan for 30 seconds over a medium high heat. Your nose will know when there done as they will be fragrant.

3. Sprinkle these toasted seeds, half the paprika and salt and pepper on a plate. Roll your neck fillets in the spice mixture.

4. Once all the neck fillets are covered, place in a baking tray and drizzle 2 tbsp of olive oil. Put this in the oven on the top shelf. These will need to bake for between 15 and 25 minutes depending on how well done you like your meat.

5. Pour your ready cut vegetables on 1 or 2 shallow baking trays in one even layer. Sprinkle the remainder of paprika, salt and pepper over your root vegetables.

6. Meanwhile you can make you tzatziki style dipping sauce this is more chopping and mixing than cooking anything. Add Greek yoghurt in a bowl and either grating or finely slicing your cucumber and mint, mix this in well.

7. Place your root vegetable below your lamb fillets. Leave this to bake for 15 minutes. After this take out your root vegetables and move around the tray to avoid them sticking to the bottom.

8. Take you lamb out, wrap in tin foil, and leave it to rest.

9. Put your root vegetables on the top shelf and leave for a further 10 minutes.

10. To serve, cut your lamb fillets into 3 cm slices.