AUSTRALIAN LAMB CHOP RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5.
  2. Pick and finely chop the rosemary leaves and peel and roughly chop the ginger, then add to a pestle and mortar with the cumin, coriander, fennel seeds and dried chillies. Add a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, then pound to a paste, stirring in a couple of tablespoons of oil.
  3. Pour half the marinade over the lamb, and massage well before you plait it, then put aside until needed.
  4. Peel and chop the sweet potatoes into 2.5cm chunks, peel and roughly chop the onions, and peel and finely slice the garlic, then mix with the remaining marinade.
  5. Heat a little oil in a large ovenproof pan or roasting tray over a medium-high heat, add the lamb and quickly brown on both sides, then remove to a plate.
  6. Add the sweet potato mixture to the pan and fry for around 4 minutes, or until the onions are slightly soft.
  7. Add the tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon, then give the pan a shake and place the meat on top.
  8. Add 3 wineglasses of water, the cinnamon stick, bay leaves and dried apricots, and braise in the preheated oven for 1 hour 15 minutes (I suggest you do this with the lid off to give it a little colour.
  9. Cover the couscous with 300ml boiling water and leave to fluff up. Season with salt, pepper, a lug of oil and a swig of vinegar, cover with tin foil and place in the oven for 5 minutes to steam.
  10. Pick and roughly chop the coriander and scatter over the lamb before serving. Divide between plates with the couscous and spoon over a good dollop of natural yoghurt.

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6.
  2. Peel and quarter the onions and garlic cloves, peel and roughly chop the carrots, trim and roughly chop the celery, and wash, trim and roughly chop the leek. Halve the fresh tomatoes.
  3. Rub the lamb with oil, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and put it into a roasting tray. Using a sharp knife, make small incisions all over the lamb, then pick and poke rosemary leaves and quartered garlic cloves into each one.
  4. Add the rest of the garlic cloves, the onions, carrots, celery, leeks and fresh tomatoes to the tray, then tuck the remaining herbs under the meat.
  5. Pour the tinned tomatoes over the top, followed by the wine. Cover the tray tightly with a double layer of tin foil and place in the oven. Turn down the oven temperature to 170ºC/325ºF/gas 3 and cook for 3½ to 4 hours, or until the lamb is soft, melting and sticky and you can pull it apart with a fork.
  6. Gently break up the meat, pull out the bones, and extract any herb stalks. Squeeze the garlic out of the skins and mush it in. Shred the lamb, check the seasoning and serve with some crispy roast potatoes.