Double Lamb Chops with Rosemary and Dijon Mustard

I made this for dinner the other night and my husband told me it was better than any lamb he had ever had in a restaurant. We have eaten at some pretty wonderful restaurants, so I took that as a huge compliment. The double chops are brilliant because you get a crispy outside but a rare and succulent inside. You can play around with the marinade as well – add lemon zest or capers for some zing, or the honey or jam for sweetness. I like to sear the lamb in an oven proof dish on the stove and then transfer the whole thing to the oven to finish off the cooking process.

2 rack of lamb cut into double chops and frenched (ask your butcher to do this) - this works out to be about 6 double chops

3 tbspn finely chopped rosemary

3 tbspn olive oil

1 tbspn soy

1 tbspn Dijon mustard

1 tbspn honey or plum jam (optional)

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Mix all the marinade ingredients together. Using a teaspoon, rub some marinade on the meaty part of the lamb, and place lamb and any left over marinade in a snap lock bag. Allow to marinate for at least an hour if you have time and up to overnight. Make sure the meat is at room temperature before you start cooking. Heat a non stick pan/griddle or the bbq to high heat. Sear the lamb on each side and on the top for a minute or two or until browned and starting to crisp. Transfer to an oven dish and bake for 7 minutes for medium rare.

Chicken in a Bag

This is such and easy way to make a delicious dinner. It is wonderful because you cook your chicken and veggies together and there is zero cleaning up!

1 whole chicken

2 tbspn olive oil

2 tbspn paprika

2 heaped tspn cumin

salt and pepper

4 tbspn chopped rosemary

2 carrots, cut in pieces

1 sweet potato, cut in chunks

6 french shallots, peeled

4 cloves of garlic, whole and unpeeled

1 Glad oven bag

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

Wash and dry the chicken chicken. Rub half the olive oil, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper and fresh chopped rosemary all over the chicken. Put it in an oven bag.

Rub the other half of the same ingredients over vegetables  and then put them in the bag with the chicken. 

Put the bag on a baking tray and roast for about 1.5 hours. Let the chicken sit for 10 minutes before you open the bag and put dinner on a plate.

Chicken Salad with Pumpkin, Lentils and Radicchio

This is such a beautiful salad for winter. The colours are so vibrant and the dressing so light, yet the lentils and chicken combine to make this really satiating.  I think this is the best way to cook chicken breast (schnitzel excepted). In twenty minutes you get the glorious taste of roast chicken. You can use this concept of cooking the chicken and change the flavour by using different marinades. Some on my rotation are zaatar, harissa or fresh herbs with lemon zest and Dijon mustard. I like to use puy lentils in this salad, but if you want to save time or use one saucepan less, canned lentils are fine too (just rinse well). Also, you can omit the chicken, or substitute chickpeas, for a gorgeous vegetarian version. You could also add 1/4 cup of toasted slivered almonds for textural crunch.

2 chicken breasts

olive oil

generous pinch of salt

salad

2 large handfuls baby spinach

I small head radicchio sliced

1 cup cooked lentils

½ butternut pumpkin or ¼ jap pumpkin, cubed

¼ cup currants

½ bunch parsley, roughly chopped

dressing

¼ cup olive oil

juice of ½ lemon

1 tbspn white balsamic vinegar

pinch of salt

½ tspn sugar

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees. Spray the pumpkin with olive oil and roast for 25 minutes or until golden.

Massage the chicken breasts with 1 tbspn olive oil. Season generously with salt. Heat a non stick oven proof pan to high on the stove. When the pan is hot, sear chicken for 2 minutes. Turn over, sear other side for 1 minute then place in the oven for 20 minutes.

Allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Combine dressing ingredients. Combine salad ingredients, pour over dressing, reserving 1 tbspn. Mix well. Arrange chicken slices on top and drizzle over remaining dressing, and toss to combine.

Salt Chicken

I have given this recipe to so many people over the years and everyone thinks I am joking when I tell them how easy it is. But it really is so simple. The result is a crispy perfect chicken that is delicious as a roast or to use for salads or sandwiches. And in case you are wondering, it doesn't taste salty at all. I have put in the before and after picture so you can see exactly what to do. It looks a bit more glamorous if you truss the legs, but that takes as long as the whole recipe. The salt doesn't touch the chicken.

1 chicken

salt

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Place chicken in a baking dish. Pour a pile of salt in each corner of the baking dish (not touching the chicken). Roast for 1¼ hours. 

Roast Mushrooms with Balsamic Vinegar and Thyme

A meal on their own, or delicious on toast with avocado or goats cheese as a side to eggs, this is a wonderful dish warm or cold.  For an interesting side, add these mushrooms to cooked barley, quinoa, brown rice or cous cous.

200g button mushrooms

200g swiss brown mushrooms

200g flat swiss brown mushrooms

3 tbspn olive oil

1 tbspn butter

2 tbspn water

zest of 1 lemon

pinch of salt

5 sprigs of thyme, leaves only

1 cinnamon quill

1 tbspn balsamic vinegar

3 tbspn finely chopped parsley

3 tbspn lemon juice

3 tbspn toasted slivered almonds (optional)

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Wipe mushrooms with a damp cloth to remove any dirt. Slice mushrooms and place in oven dish. Sprinkles with salt and thyme leaves, add lemon zest and cinnamon quill, drizzle with olive oil and water and dot butter around the dish. Cover with foil and bake for 30 mins. Remove foil, add balsamic vinegar, stir and bake uncovered for another 25 mins. Add lemon juice, almonds and parsley and toss to combine.