lamb

Salt and pepper chops with garlic aïoli

‘Aïoli’ is a French word for mayonnaise, usually homemade, to which lots of fresh crushed garlic has been added. Speed up the process and use a quality shop-bought mayonnaise, adding some fresh garlic. Aïoli is good served with vegetable crudités and other snacky foods that require a dip, and also works well as a salad dressing.

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AÏOLI DIP

  1. Rub the chops with olive oil and season with salt and pepper just before they go on the braai. Cook over the fire for 7–10 minutes per side until they are lovely and crisp.
  2. Combine all the ingredients for the aïoli and serve the chops with the aïoli for dipping. For a complete meal, this is best eaten with your fingers with a French loaf for dipping into the aïoli and a bottle of crisp white wine.

SERVES 4

Lamb kebabs with feta

Lamb mince is versatile and deliciously moist because of the fat content of the meat. It marries well with a blend of Middle Eastern spices.

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  1. Combine the lamb in a bowl with the garlic, spices, ginger, chilli paste and coriander.
  2. Using wet hands, shape the meat into 12 balls. Thread onto the kebab sticks, allowing three per stick. Spray the braai grid with non-stick cooking spray and cook the kebabs over the fire for 10–15 minutes in total, turning once.
  3. Just before the kebabs are cooked, brush the feta rounds with olive oil and sprinkle with black pepper. Heat over the flames for about 2 minutes per side, or just until softening. Serve with the kebabs, together with a salad of lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes.

SERVES 4

Greek-style lamb chops

Lamb is synonymous with Greek food and this recipe uses another Greek favourite – plain yoghurt – as both a marinade and meat tenderizer.

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  1. Place the chops in a large dish. Combine the lemon zest and juice, thyme, garlic, yoghurt and black pepper and then pour over the lamb. Leave for at least 30 minutes – longer would be better.
  2. Remove the chops from the marinade and wipe with paper towel. Season with salt. Cook over a hot fire for about 8 minutes per side until lovely and crisp on the outside and just a little pink on the inside. Serve with a generous dollop of tzatziki, pita bread and a tomato and feta salad.

SERVES 6

Tamarind lamb chops

Tamarind is a fruit similar in looks to dates. It offers a unique sweet-and-sour flavour and is used extensively in Indian and Asian cuisine.

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  1. Start off by pouring boiling water over the tamarind pulp; just enough to cover the fruit. Set aside for 15 minutes and then strain through a sieve, pushing with the back of a teaspoon.
  2. Heat the oil in a small saucepan and sauté the onion. Remove from the heat and add the ginger, sugar, orange zest and juice, and the tamarind paste. Return to the heat and simmer, stirring, until the mixture has reduced and thickened. Remove from the heat and cool.
  3. Coat the chops in the tamarind mixture and set aside for 1 hour. Remove from the marinade and wipe off the excess with paper towels.
  4. Braai the chops over the fire for 7–10 minutes per side, turning once and basting frequently with the remaining sauce. Serve with baked sweet potatoes and butter.

SERVES 4

Roast lamb on the hop

A quick alternative to the Sunday roast – all prepared over the fire.

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  1. Rub the steaks with olive oil and season generously. Cook over a hot fire for 8 minutes before turning.
  2. Cook for another 5 minutes and then brush the top of the steaks generously with the jelly. Cook until the lamb is done and the jelly has lightly caramelized. Serve with roasted potato wedges and a salad.

SERVES 6

Sticky lamb ribs

Traditionally eaten salted, South African-style lamb ribs are also good done in an Asian marinade, which breaks down the fattiness and gives the meat good flavour.

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1 kg lamb ribs in one piece

  1. Cut off any excess fat on the ribs. Mix together all the ingredients for the marinade and pour over the ribs, ensuring they are well coated. Leave to stand for 30–60 minutes.
  2. Remove the ribs from the marinade and wipe off the excess with a paper towel. Cook the ribs over the fire for 10–12 minutes per side, until lovely and crisp. Baste with the remaining marinade just before the end of cooking, and remove from the fire before it burns.

SERVES 4

Dukkah lamb steaks

Dukkah is an ancient Egyptian spice blend of nuts, seeds and spices. Dukkah can be enjoyed on its own as a snack with bread and olive oil, or used as a seasoning for meat, particularly lamb.

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  1. Place the lamb steaks between two pieces of plastic wrap and, using a meat mallet or rolling pin, bash until about 1 cm thick.
  2. Roll the lamb steaks in olive oil and then coat in the spice mix. Cook over a medium fire for about 10 minutes, turning once and taking care not to burn the nuts.

SERVES 4

African lamb

Harissa is a fiery North African paste made from chillies mixed with coriander, caraway, garlic, salt and olive oil. The beauty of harissa is that not only does it offer an intense heat but also spicy layers of flavour.

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  1. Combine the olive oil, spice, garlic, zest and lemon juice, coriander and harissa paste. Massage the mixture into the lamb, ensuring it is well covered with the spice blend. Place in a large ziplock bag and leave for 3 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
  2. Remove the lamb from the bag and place the meat on the braai grid, top side down, and cook for 45–60 minutes, depending on the size of the lamb and how you like the meat done. Turn after 30 minutes. Remove the lamb from the heat, cover with foil and allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving sliced with a dollop of tzatziki (a cucumber and yoghurt dip) and roasted vegetables.

SERVES 6–8