Chargrilled lamb with minted pea and barley risotto
AT LAST, some warmer spring weather has arrived.
Easter too – and with it the chance to get out and about and also, perhaps, the opportunity to spend more time with loved ones.
If you are thinking of heading into the City with the family remember that The Grill on the Alley serves a special children’s menu, terrific food and great value at £7.95 for two courses.
The Blackhouse Luncheon Club menu is also available each day until 6pm.
At this time of year you’ll find spring lamb on our main menu; served with a light, fresh tasting barley and minted pea “risotto”. We use leg of lamb steaks sourced, as always, from farms that use only traditional husbandry measures.
We begin by cooking the barley, then roast the peppers adding a little salt, some black pepper, and a dessert spoon of garlic and rosemary seasoning. Leg steaks are great for barbecues, but at this time of year chances are you will be cooking these on a grill pan as not many kitchens have their own char-grill.
And, unless we are very lucky, the weather will still be a touch unpredictable for al fresco dining! We use the hottest part of the pan and turn the steaks at right angles during cooking to produce criss-cross markings.
Food and drink writer Russ Otterwell has chosen a fruity, slightly spicy, Pinot Noir to partner the lamb.
To make the simple red wine sauce, we sauté a finely chopped shallot for a minute or so, deglaze the pan with half a glass of the wine, stir in half that amount of water and simmer for two minutes.
Finally, we stir in a knob of butter until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
Ingredients (serves four as a main course)
4 x 225g leg of lamb steaks
275g pearl barley
1 diced red pepper
1 dsp garlic and rosemary seasoning
60g frozen peas
4 little gem leaves
Salt and pepper
2 sprigs of fresh mint
100g unsalted butter
2 dsp olive oil
800ml vegetable stock (made with one bouillon cube)
Flat leaf parsley
Method
IN a suitable saucepan cover the barley with water, bring to the boil then simmer for 15mins.
When cooked, set aside to cool. Place the diced peppers in a roasting tray, add oil and seasoning.
Roast in a pre-heated oven at 250C for four to five mins. Set aside to cool. Wash and cut salad leaves into thin strips and place into a mixing bowl.
Add the cooked barley, roasted peppers, peas and mint and mix thoroughly.
Cook the lamb steaks, to your liking, on a grill pan, turning to achieve good grill markings. In a saucepan, bring the stock to the boil, add the barley mix and toss quickly.
Add the butter and melt into the mix. Serve steaks on a bed of the mixture, spoon over a little red wine sauce if desired and garnish with parsley.
Published: Thu, 09 April, 2009
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