LAMB & EGGPLANT SKEWERS WITH MINT SAUCE
WHAT ARE THEY?
Skewers of seared lamb pieces, rolled in a strip of roasted eggplant, served cold in mint pesto.
TIME TO MAKE
Preparation: 1 hour
Cooking: 1 hour 10 minutes
EQUIPMENT
20-25 × 6–8 cm long wooden cocktail skewers
Food processor
Mandoline
Microwave-safe plastic film
Pastry brush
ADVICE
When the eggplant comes out of the oven, transfer the strips to a wire rack and cover with plastic wrap to prevent them drying out.
TECHNIQUES TO MASTER
WHY TOAST THE NUTS?
The high temperature allows specific aromatic grilled notes to develop and adds crunch.
ORGANISATION
1 day before | Make the entire recipe and store in the refrigerator in a baking tray covered with plastic wrap.
30 minutes before | Remove the skewers from the refrigerator so they return to room temperature. Assemble and scatter with toasted pine nuts.
MAKES 20–25
1 LAMB
750 g deboned rack of lamb
salt
30 g olive oil
30 g unsalted butter
2 ROASTED EGGPLANT
500 g eggplants (about 2 large)
olive oil
salt and pepper
3 MINT PESTO
1 bunch mint
30 g parmesan
pinch of coarse salt
100 g olive oil
20 g pine nuts
½ garlic clove
2 g salt
4 DECORATION
30 g pine nuts
1 Make the pesto, following the method, replacing the basil with mint.
2 Preheat the oven to 170°C, then toast the pine nuts for about 15 minutes and set aside at room temperature.
3 Cut the lamb into three or four slices then into about 50 cubes. Season lightly with salt.
4 Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan over a high heat until the butter turns brown. Working in batches, brown the lamb pieces on all sides for a few minutes. Check that the meat is well browned by lifting the pieces before turning them. They should stay pink in the middle. Repeat until all the lamb is cooked. Set aside on a baking tray.
5 Preheat the oven to 65°C, cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and put in the oven for 30 minutes. Allow to cool then set aside in the refrigerator.
6 Preheat the oven to 180°C. Using a mandoline, slice the eggplants into 2 mm thick strips (Slicing thinly), lay them on a baking tray lined with baking paper, brush with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 10–15 minutes.
7 Allow to cool.
8 Brush the eggplant slices with mint pesto, cutting them in half lengthways if they are too wide.
9 Wrap each lamb piece in an eggplant slice, put two rolls on each cocktail skewer and scatter over a few toasted pine nuts. Alternatively, serve the skewers on individual plates with a dollop of mint sauce on the side, garnished with a pine nut.
