AUTUMN LAMB, ROAST PUMPKIN AND SPICED TOMATO SAUCE (SERVES 4)
As the nights start to close in and the North winds bring their inevitable chill, this really simple, all-in-one roast dish perfectly sums up warming, comfort food, ideal for eating by an open fire on a cold autumnal evening. Suggested by a friend, Adam, this mix of seasonal pumpkin, hearty chunks of lamb and thick tomatoey sauce fired up with a blend of Thai spices, lemon zest and thyme warms the cockles..!
WHAT YOU NEED
Ingredients:
1 sachet Green Saffron’s Thai 7 spice
1 clove garlic, crushed
Zest of ½ lemon, finely grated
1 tsp salt
4 tbsp (60ml) olive oil
1kg of lamb gigot chops, approximately 8 chops (or chicken thighs, on the bone)
1.35kg/3lbs of cherry tomatoes
1.2kg/2½lbs pumpkin, butternut squash, peeled and deseeded (you’ll end up with around 950g/2lbs), or the root vegetable of your choice (approx. 950g/2lbs), chopped into chunks
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
A good handful of fresh mint, chopped into ribbons
Also, you need:
Tin-foil double folded to a size big enough to cover your biggest, deep roasting dish
HOW TO MAKE IT
How to make your meal:
1. Firstly, turn your oven on to medium; 190°C or gas mark 5 is great.
2. Then, in a large mixing bowl, pour in the oil and add the garlic, lemon zest, salt, lamb chops, tomatoes, pumpkin chunks, thyme sprigs along with your gorgeous, fresh sachet of Green Saffron’s Thai 7 spice.
3. Using your (clean!) hands, stir everything around in the bowl, then take out the chops (or chicken thighs), put them onto a plate, cover with a damp tea-towel and set aside.
4. Take your large roasting dish (big enough to fit everything in), carefully pour the contents of the bowl into the dish, scraping every last drop of oil and spices in as well, gently flatten into an even(ish) layer and pop onto a middle shelf in your pre-heated oven.
5. After 15 minutes, open the oven and give everything in the dish a good, but gentle stir, then take the chops (or thighs!) from the plate, place on top of the pumpkin mixture, cover with the sheet of tin foil and pop back into the oven.
6. After another 15 minutes has passed by, open the oven door again, remove the foil from on top of the roasting dish, close the oven door and continue to cook.
7. Ten minutes later, when the chops have taken on a nutty brown colour take the dish out of the oven…..it’s done!
8. Take the chops out of the dish, gingerly remove the stalky twigs of thyme, sprinkle the fresh mint over the pumpkin mix and stir to combine all the flavours.
9. Serve immediately with your favourite crusty bread, Cous Cous or soft-set polenta…enjoy!
Serving suggestion:
Serve with a green leafy salad and a glass or two of fruity red wine or chilled Alsace Riesling.
JOIN THE FAMILY AND FOLLOW THE JOURNEY
