We had a dinner party on Saturday night. The kids equalled the adults. Three 3 year olds, a two and a one year old, and a 6 month old. With 6 adults all talking at once, and 6 kids vocalising and running from pillar to post, we had a very noisy household, a good noisy.
If I do say so myself, the food was good too. There is a certain satisfaction in successfully feeding a crowd, and seeing everybody happy.
On Thursday night, I still had no idea what I was going to cook. That was until I watched Masterchef's masterclass with Heston Blumenthal, and his roast lamb. It was a lamb leg studded with garlic, rosemary and anchovies and slow roasted. I did however cook it for twice as long as he suggested, we prefer our lamb not still baa-ing and pooping in the paddick when it gets to the plate.
I roasted it for an hour on 100 degress, then roasted it at 150 for the next two and a half hours. I removed it from the oven and wrapped it up with alfoil and let it rest for about half an hour.
Roast browned and studded with garlic, anchovy and rosemary |
I used my cake cooler as a rack (multi-purposing at it's best). I just bent it a bit over the same pan I had just made foccacia in! |
I made a burghul pilaf, garlic and mint yogurt and chick pea salad.
Just in case there were some less adventurous, plus the kids, I made roast potatoes, corn and broccoli and the Heston suggested jus(fancy for pan juices made into a sauce) to go along with it too. I also had a tossed salad and some homemade foccacia.
It was a great feast that went down a treat. I was surprised at how the yogurt went down, it was amazing with the lamb, burghul and the bread, most of us were going back for seconds just to get a bit more garlic yogurt.
Garlic and Mint yogurt
375 grams greek yogurt
2 garlic cloves, crushed or chopped finely
1/3 cup of finely chopped mint
A small squeeze of lemon
Mix all together. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
I made this about 5 hours beforehand the garlic really had intensified in that time.
Just in case there were some less adventurous, plus the kids, I made roast potatoes, corn and broccoli and the Heston suggested jus(fancy for pan juices made into a sauce) to go along with it too. I also had a tossed salad and some homemade foccacia.
It was a great feast that went down a treat. I was surprised at how the yogurt went down, it was amazing with the lamb, burghul and the bread, most of us were going back for seconds just to get a bit more garlic yogurt.
Garlic and Mint yogurt
375 grams greek yogurt
2 garlic cloves, crushed or chopped finely
1/3 cup of finely chopped mint
A small squeeze of lemon
Mix all together. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
I made this about 5 hours beforehand the garlic really had intensified in that time.
When it came to serving, I just put everything in the middle of our big table and let everyone help themselves. It was awesome.
My delicious leftovers lunch on Sunday |
OOOoh!!!! delicious.. I have been enjoying Heston on MC all week!! (and wrote a post about Heston today too!)
ReplyDeleteThat lamb looks yummy and the array of sides looks great too!! mmMmmm I fancy a roast now!
It was pretty darn delicious. I really enjoyed watching the Heston week :)
DeleteThat looks delicious! I love using anchovies with meat, it really adds a richness of flavour. Good on you for cooking for a crowd, it's exactly the type of chaos I love!
ReplyDeletexx
Slow roasted lamb is so tender and tasty!! Looks like you had a lovely feast!
ReplyDeleteWe did, thanks.
DeleteOh yum yum yum! How cool to hear a normal person succeeded with a masterchef recipe! go you and thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteWhen it said to simmer the garlic in milk first before studding, I was like WTHeck, but that was the only schmancy bit about it. It's the only MC recipe I have had the inspiration to make, besides a gnocchi one years ago. Glad I had a go ;)
DeleteMy mouth is watering (except for the anchovies, blech)! I love roast lamb and this looks to die for ...
ReplyDeleteSurprisingly the end result was just a salty burst of flavour with the sweetness of the garlic, there wasn't much trace of the anchovy at tall. If you come for tea, I just wouldn't tell you lol ;)
DeleteThat salad looks great, I like lamb a little pink but the kids don't, so might try your suggestion xx
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to be invited to dinner at your place :) This looks so delicious!
ReplyDeleteIt's too bad we live so far apart, maybe you should come holiday on the lImestone coast one time :)
DeleteWow! Alicia it looks seriously amazing!
ReplyDelete