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| Ingredients | | For the carrots | | 1kg carrots, peeled and topped | | 1-2 tablespoons olive oil | | salt and freshly ground black pepper | | 2 teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted and ground | | 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, toasted and ground | | 1/4 cup chicken stock or water | | For the couscous | | 3 tablespoons barberries, currants or dried cranberries | | 240g (1 cup) instant couscous (I use the Tipiak brand) | | 1/2 teaspoon salt | | 1 tablespoon olive oil | | 300ml hot chicken stock or water | | 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted | | salt and freshly ground black pepper | | extra virgin olive oil for drizzling | | Pine Nut Ciabatta Sauce | | 2 thick slices ciabatta, crusts removed | | 100ml milk | | 50g pine nuts, toasted | | 1 small clove garlic | | 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar | | 50ml extra virgin olive oil | | For the lamb | | 4 large or 6 small lamb rumps olive oil | | salt and freshly ground black pepper |
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| Roasted Lamb Rump With Spicy Carrot Purée, Couscous & Pine Nut Ciabatta Sauce |
01 / 05 / 06 Ginny Grant
Issue 116 |
| Photography by Andrew Coffey |
Confusion reigned when I asked my butcher for some lamb rumps. Blame chefs. “Rump” is easier to sell than the more accurate but unappealingly named thick flank (and yes, the chef in me has persisted with this misnomer on my menu). Some butchers, aware of this trend, now call the thick flank the rump, but it pays to check.
My butcher boned out a leg of lamb in front of me to ensure that I got what I wanted. Aside from the shank, three muscles make up the leg: the topside (or top round), outside (or silverside) and the thick flank. Weighing around 250g, it makes a perfect small roast for one or two people and is great for dinner parties because it is fast to cook. It can be chewier than choicer cuts of lamb, but I find the flavour more robust, and allowing the meat to rest before serving ensures tenderness. If you wish to emphasise the Middle-Eastern overtones of this dish, rub a little harissa into the seasoned lamb before searing. |
Method |
For the carrots
Preheat oven to 180°C. Thickly slice the carrots, toss with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and place in a roasting dish. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour or until the carrots are very tender. Place in a food processor with the cumin and caraway and process, adding enough chicken stock to make a thick purée. Adjust seasonings to taste and set aside.
For the couscous
Soak the barberries in a little boiling water for 20 minutes to soften. Drain and set aside.In an ovenproof dish place the couscous and salt. Add the olive oil and hot chicken stock, cover with foil and leave to sit for 5 minutes. Fluff up with a fork. Add the barberries then cover and steam in the oven for a further 20 minutes.Stir through the pine nuts, season to taste and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil.
Pine Nut Ciabatta Sauce
This sauce needs to be made with a mortar and pestle. It will be gluey if made in a food processor. Rip the ciabatta into small pieces and soak in the milk until soft.In a mortar pound the pine nuts and garlic to fine crumbs. Lightly squeeze the milk from the bread.
Reserve the milk, add the bread to the mortar and pound until amalgamated. Add the red wine vinegar, the olive oil and enough of the reserved milk to make a smooth sauce. Season to taste and set aside.
For the lamb
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Trim the sinew from the meat and rub with a little olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper. Heat an ovenproof sauté pan and sear the lamb on both sides. Roast in the oven for 12 minutes for medium rare. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes in a warm place.
On each plate place a dollop of carrot purée, some couscous and thin slices of lamb cut across the grain, moistening with any cooking juices.
Spoon a little of the sauce over the lamb and serve with a simple salad of watercress or rocket dressed with lemon juice and olive oil. Serves 6. 
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