Lamb

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Tender slices of lamb are combined with crisp vegetables, ginger and chilli in this simple stir-fry. Serve with basmati rice cooked in coconut milk for a quick and flavoursome Thai-style supper.

Serves 4

Total time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients

200ml coconut cream
225g basmati rice
40ml soy sauce
2 tsp cornflour
40ml groundnut oil
350g lamb loin, thinly sliced
3cm piece fresh root ginger, cut into thin strips
1 red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
1 small yellow pepper, deseeded and sliced
175g mangetout
thinly sliced spring onions, to garnish

1. Start by making the rice. Mix the coconut cream with 180ml water, then put this into a large saucepan with the rice and 1 tsp salt. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, then drain.
2. Meanwhile, combine the soy sauce and cornflour in a small bowl until smooth, then set aside.
3. Heat half the oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Cook the lamb, in batches if necessary, until browned all over. Remove and set aside.
4. Heat the remaining oil in the wok and add the ginger, chilli and yellow pepper. Stir-fry for 1 minute, return the lamb to the wok, add the mangetout and the soy sauce mixture and toss for a further minute. Garnish with spring onions and serve with the coconut rice.

Variation

Vary the vegetables according to what you have available. Carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks, sliced courgettes or shredded pak choi all work well.

Perfect partner

Réserve Champalou 2008 - A glass of this white wine has a hint of sweetness and a crisp finish so is absolutely perfect with a tasty Thai-style supper.

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This rack of lamb topped with a colourful sauce of chilli and mint tastes sensational and makes an impressive centrepiece for a special occasion.

Serves 6

Total time: 20 mins, plus marinating
Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients

3 tbsp fish sauce
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
120g fresh mint, chopped
6 French-trimmed racks of lamb, 4 bones on each
80ml groundnut oil
2 tbsp palm sugar or soft light brown sugar
4 tbsp rice vinegar
juice and grated zest of 1 lime
1 small green chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
2 spring onions, thinly sliced

1. In a small bowl, combine 2 tbsp fish sauce with the garlic, chilli sauce and about 3 tbsp mint. Rub over the lamb and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/Gas 6. Heat 20ml oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, then cook the lamb racks for 1–2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a baking tray and roast for 6–8 minutes for rare; cook for a little longer if you prefer your lamb well done. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, to make the sauce, combine the remaining fish sauce, mint and oil with the sugar, vinegar, lime juice and zest, chilli and spring onions. To serve, spoon the sauce over the lamb.

Serving suggestion

Serve each rack of lamb on top of a potato or mixed vegetable rosti.

Perfect Partner

Barons de Rothschild Lafite Réserve Spéciale 2007 - A special cut of meat, lovingly prepared, deserves a lavish wine such as this to accompany it.

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A Moroccan lamb casserole, marinated with exotic spices and slow-cooked to ensure tender meat and maximum flavour. Serve with fluffy couscous for a hearty supper that everyone will love.

Serves 8

Total time: 2½ hours, plus marinating
Cooking time: 1 hour 50 mins

Ingredients

1 large Spanish onion, grated
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 bunch fresh coriander, leaves chopped
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp each ground cumin, ground ginger and paprika
120ml olive oil, plus extra for frying
1.5kg lamb shoulder, diced
1 large strip orange zest
800g canned chopped tomatoes
2 heaped tbsp tomato purée
375ml beef stock
40ml honey
800g canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
75g green olives
500g couscous, prepared as directed on the packet

1. Combine the onion, garlic, most of the coriander, the spices, oil and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl. Add the lamb, cover and marinate in the fridge for 4–6 hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 160ºC/Gas 3. Heat a little oil in a non-stick frying pan and fry the lamb, in batches, until lightly browned all over, adding more oil as required. As the meat is cooked, remove it from the pan and place in a casserole dish. Add the orange zest to the meat.
3. Drain the tomatoes, reserving the juice, then set the tomatoes aside. Combine the juice with the tomato purée, then add to the meat along with the stock. Cover and cook in the oven for 1½ hours, or until the lamb is tender. Meanwhile, prepare the couscous and keep warm.
4. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the lamb to a plate. Place the casserole dish over high heat. Add the reserved tomatoes and boil to reduce for 2 minutes. Add the honey, chickpeas, olives and reserved lamb. Cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes. Garnish with coriander and serve over the couscous.

Variation

For a delicious vegetarian tagine, omit the lamb, add another 400g can of chickpeas and increase the quantities of vegetables. Or try using other vegetables such as carrots and sweetcorn.

Perfect partner

Pagos de Tahola Oak Aged Rioja 2007 - We think you'll love the combination of this delicious Rioja and tasty tagine.

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This aromatic one-pot main dish is so quick and easy to make. Adding rice, dried fruit, chickpeas and Moroccan spices is a great way to cook lamb, but this pilaff can also be made with chicken.

Serves 4

Total time: 30 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients

20ml olive oil
1 onion, sliced
2 tsp ras el hanout spice blend
500g lamb fillet, diced
250g basmati rice
500ml beef or vegetable stock
40g dried apricots, chopped
10 dried prunes
400g canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
chopped fresh mint leaves, to garnish
Greek-style yoghurt and a green salad, to serve

1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 6–7 minutes, until just turning golden. Add the spice blend and cook for a few seconds, then add the lamb and continue to cook, stirring, for 2–3 minutes, until the meat is browned.
2. Stir in the rice, then add the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10–15 minutes, or until the rice is tender and most of the stock is absorbed.
3. Stir in the apricots, prunes, chickpeas and pine nuts and heat through. Garnish with mint and serve with yoghurt and a green salad.

Top tip

A Moroccan spice blend that can have up to 50 ingredients, such as ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, peppercorns, cardamom, nigella, mace, galangal and turmeric, ras el hanout is now available in many supermarkets. If you can't find it, substitute your own mixture of turmeric, coriander and cumin.

Perfect partner

Don Cayetano Carmenere 2008 - This velvety wine is more than a match for this succulent supper.

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Tender minced lamb is mixed with nuts, spices and onions and threaded onto skewers to make the tastiest of kebabs. A great light lunch or addition to a summer barbecue!

Serves 4

Total time: 20 mins, plus chilling
Cooking time: 12 mins

Ingredients

1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
350g lamb neck fillet, cut into chunks
1 small onion, quartered
1 garlic clove
3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
juice of ½ lime
100g shelled pistachio nuts
1 green chilli, deseeded
vegetable oil, for brushing
flatbreads and tsatsiki, to serve

1. To roast the cumin and coriander seeds, place them in a small frying pan over medium heat and stir for about 1–2 minutes, until aromatic. Transfer to a mortar and crush to a powder with a pestle.
2. Place the lamb in a food processor along with the crushed spices, onion, garlic, fresh coriander, lime juice, pistachio nuts, chilli and a little salt and pepper. Switch the machine to pulse or, if your machine does not have a pulse switch, turn the motor on and off until everything is ground together but it still has a very coarse texture.
3. Taking about a tablespoon of the mixture, roll it on a flat surface into a ball, squeezing the mixture firmly together. Repeat until you have used all the mixture to make about 12 balls. Thread these on to 4 metal (or presoaked wooden) skewers. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
4. Preheat the grill to medium or prepare the barbecue. Brush the kebabs with oil and cook, about 5cm from the grill, for about 5 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Serve with flatbreads and tsatsiki.

Top tip

This recipe works best if the lamb is 80% lean meat, as some fat is important to keep it juicy.

Perfect partner

Puy de Val Rouge NV - A rich Syrah that's big on flavour is a superb match.

Cheesy Shepherd's Pie

This traditional winter warmer has the added bonus of cheese-encrusted leeks topping the mashed potato – definitely one for the whole family.

Serves 4

Total time: 1 hour 50 mins
Cooking time: 1½ hours

Ingredients

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, very finely chopped
50g swede, very finely chopped
2 carrots, very finely chopped
350g minced lamb
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp tomato purée
300ml lamb, beef or vegetable stock
900g Maris Piper or King Edward potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
60g soft cheese
2 leeks, thinly sliced
40g grated Cheddar cheese
25g finely grated Parmesan cheese

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onion, swede and carrots and fry for 8–10 minutes, or until soft and lightly browned. Add the minced lamb and herbs and fry until the meat loses its pink colour, stirring frequently. Add the tomato purée and stock, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/Gas 6. Add the potatoes to a pan of boiling salted water and cook for 10 minutes, or until soft. Drain well and mash with the soft cheese and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Spoon the lamb mixture into a casserole dish and spread the mashed potato over it. Scatter the leeks over the potato, pressing them gently into the surface. Cover the leeks with the Cheddar and Parmesan cheeses and cook in the oven for 25–30 minutes, or until golden and piping hot.

Variation

Add a crushed garlic clove to the mashed potato in Step 2.

Perfect partner

Eiken Rust Pinotage 2008 - On a chilly evening a glass of ripe, rich Pinotage at an affordable price is just the thing with a healthy portion of this midweek comfort food.