Outback Lamb Loin Roast
Spice up your roast repertoire with this Asian-inspired Outback Lamb with mandarin chilli sauce - perfect for those in season mandies.
The mandarins are in season, the loin roll was beckoning - I always seem to step around the loin rolls, although I'm not sure why, as they're so easy to cook - and I had some chillies from the garden that needed using. Combined with a recent trip to Hong Kong, it was inspiration enough to try something slightly more exotic than the usual comfort food.
To be honest, I’m secretly pleased with the result; it was well received and even though it had some kick, using the chillies whole meant the heat factor was kept to an acceptable level for my somewhat spice intolerant clientele (aka Jim and Archie).
The original recipe for duck came from MiNDFOOD (a fav read of mine), but I think it lends itself beautifully to our Outback Lamb with a few additional Outback Lamb elements. Thankfully, the family concurred and they didn't go hungry. Happy dining!
INGREDIENTS
1 Outback Lamb loin roll 3 mandarins, peeled and segmented 5 long red chillies
Steamed bok choy and jasmine rice, to serve
Mandarin Chilli Sauce 1 tbsp peanut oil 100g shallots, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger 1 medium red chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped 1 cup fresh mandarin juice (I just peeled a mandarin and pureed in a small processor)
1½ cups chicken stock 2 star anise 1 tbsp tamarind puree 1 tbsp kechap manis or soy sauce 1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tspn chinese five spice
Spice Paste 1 tbsp finely chopped rosemary 2 tsp finely grated mandarin zest 3 garlic cloves 5 whole pimentos (cherry peppers)
METHOD
Mandarin Chilli Sauce: heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic, ginger and chilli. Cook, stirring for 5 minutes or until tender. Add juice, stock, star anise, tamarind, soy, 5 spice and brown sugar. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer gently for 45 minutes, or until syrupy. (Remember to set some sauce aside for serving).
Spice Paste: to make, place rosemary, zest, garlic and pimentos in a mortar and grind with a pestle to form a paste. Rub this over the lamb. Preheat oven to 140˚C. In a roasting dish on the stove heat some oil and butter and brown the lamb roll on all sides. Season with salt and pepper.
Lamb: Place the browned lamb into a heavy casserole dish with a lid. Pour the Chilli Mandarin Sauce all over (set some aside for serving) and then cook in the pre-heated oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Next add mandarin segments and chillies and cook for a further 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through.
Cover lightly with foil. Rest for 20 minutes.
Serve with bok choy, jasmine rice and remaining sauce.
Serves 4-6 as part of a shared meal
TIP: I’ve said it before, I’m a huge fan of slow cooking and many the recipes I use, adapt and develop, including this one, are well suited to popping in the slow cooker, or if you prefer, just turning down the heat in the oven and leaving to simmer for hours. Yum!
