Thrifty lamb leg steaks make a delicious meal.
And they’re quick to cook, unlike roasting a leg of lamb — though far be it for me to try to separate anyone from their Sunday dinner.
This herby salad topped with hot seared crispy lamb makes for a tasty and light Sunday lunch — perfect as the weather starts to warm up. In appreciation of the sunshine, it’s packed with vibrant coriander and mint, fresh lemon and a little mouth watering pomegranate molasses, then all it needs is the grain of your choice. And some Yorkshire puds, if you really must.
You could use whichever grain you fancy — but for this I chose farro. I’ve never knowingly eaten it before, but I spied it in the supermarket the other day and figured I’d give it a go. It’s a grain that’s similar looking to pearl barley and it’s also low GI, but it’s a little chewier and cooks in just 10 minutes — so super convenient.
Cooks tip
The trick to making grains like farro super tasty is to dress them while they’re still warm, as it means the grain will absorb the dressing rather than being just coated by it.
Once grains are cool then add all the herbs and vegetables you like to them — as that way they won’t discolour or wilt in the bowl.
For two
- Half a boned leg of lamb, cut in to 4 steaks — about 3cm width, or, ready cut lamb leg steaks
- 250g farro
- A few spring onions, top and tailed
- 100g fresh spinach
- 1 bunch each coriander and parsley
- A handful fresh mint
- 2 tsp pomegranate molasses
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 100ml extra virgin olive oil
- A pinch of sugar
- 1 fennel bulb, quartered and lightly oiled
- Butter and oil for frying
- Sea salt and black pepper
- Yogurt to serve
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C and when it’s at temperature, place the oiled fennel in to the oven and roast for around 35 minutes, turning once.
- Towards the end of cooking, book the farro as per the pack instructions and while it’s cooking, make the dressing by combining the olive oil, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, a grind of pepper and scrunch of salt and mixing.
- Drain the farro and give it a rinse under cold water, then place it in to a large bowl and while it’s still warm, pour the dressing over it and stir through with a fork until each grain has been touched by the dressing.
- While that cools, the fennel will be about ready to take out of the oven — set it aside to cool.
- Season your lamb with salt and pepper on one side, then take a frying pan and add a knob of butter and a glug of sunflower oil and put it on a high heat. When the butter starts to foam, add the lamb seasoned side down. Turn the heat down to medium-high and fry the lamb for 3 to 4 minutes (3 for a little pinker, 4 for a little more medium). Just before the time is up, season the side facing up with salt and pepper and then turn them over, cooking for another 3 to 4 minutes. Once they’re done, remove them from the pan and sit on a chopping board for 4 minutes to rest.
- While the lamb is resting, take your spinach, spring onions and herbs and chop them up, adding them to the farro, stirring it all together to combine.
- Spoon the herby salad in to bowls and add the fennel, then once rested, slice the lamb and place it over the top. Finish with yogurt and the resting juices from the seared lamb.
