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Lamb Rump, French Style Lentils and Creamy Smoked Eggplant

The key is high quality ingredients. If you have wondered how restaurants get their lamb so perfectly cooked - it's finished in the oven. You'll need to turn the oven onto 180 C degrees ( 350 F). Prepare a baking tray. A frypan ( skillet) that fits into the oven is also useful
5 from 3 votes
Course Lamb Maincourses
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lamb Rumps I used Mirool Creek
  • 1 tablespoon Sharwarma spice Mix
  • 2 tablespoons cumin ground
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 60 ml olive oil
  • 1 whole lemon zest of 1

Lentil Salad

  • 375 gm French style lentils or 1 1/2 cups
  • 1.25 litres water
  • 60 m olive oil
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 100 gm baby spinach
  • 250 gm Cherry Tomatoes halved
  • 1 tablespoon Sami's Kitchen sharwarma spice
  • 120 ml lemon Juice 6 tablespoons
  • 1/2 bunch mint leaves picked
  • 5 gm salt and pepper to taste

Smoked Eggplant Cream

  • 200 gm eggplant 1 large
  • 3 tablespoon Tahini paste
  • 60 ml lemon Juice 3 tablespoons
  • salt
  • 1/2 cup raw almonds chopped to serve
  • 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

Instructions
 

  • Put the lentils into a medium pot and bring to a bowl. Boil till tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside while you are preparing the other things. You will use the pot to make the warm salad. so set aside as well.
  • Mix the ingredients for the lamb marinade in a bowl and mix well. Pat the lamb dry with a paper towel add the lamb fat side upwards. Keep the marinade on the meat only. Set aside
  • Put the whole eggplant onto the burners on the stove and blister till black and dark turning so that it gets blistered on all sides. When the eggplant starts to leak a little juice, put it onto the tray and pop into the oven (180/350) for 15 minutes or until soft and pulpy. (You can also do this under a grill / broiler if you don't have gas.). Cool slightly and then peel off the blackened skin and stalk then put the whole lot juice and all into a blender (or use a stick blender and bowl) with tahini and salt. Blitz and add the lemon juice, scraping down the sides. Purée till smooth and white and creamy adding a little oil if it is not coming together.
  • Put a fry pan or skillet onto the stove and heat till smoking. Add a Tablespoon of oil and put the rumps into the pan fat side down. Sear till dark and crispy and the fat has started to render. Turn and cook for another 5 minutes before flipping back onto the fat side . Put into the oven setting the timer for 15 minutes for a large rump or 8 minutes for a leaner cut like a fillet. Take out of the oven and put onto a plate leaving them some where warm.
  • Meantime finish off the warm lentil salad. Once the lentils are cooked and drained put the pot back onto the stove and heat, adding a tablespoon of the oil reserved for the salad. Add the chopped onion and sauté on medium till starting to soften. Add the cumin and shawarma spices and stir till fragrant. Add the lentils the spinach, tomatoes and half the mint leaves then the rest of the olive oil and lemon juice. Stir very well to toss and combine. Add a grind of salt and pepper and stir. Set aside to wilt a little.
  • Serve on individual plates or on a platter. Slice the Lamb and put on top of the lentils. Sprinkle with mint leaves, pomegranate seeds, and almonds and dot with smoked eggplant cream.