A crowd pleaser through and through. You simply can't go wrong with meat on a stick, especially when it is as easy as this.
For the lamb, go to a butcher and get one rack per two people, they will french trim them for you if you are not keen on doing the job yourself. Look for some nice big ones, with a good covering of fat. Before you put these on the barbecue the meat really does need to be at room temperature, so make sure they have been out of the fridge for a good half hour before you start (so as you go to light the charcoal, pull the racks out of the fridge! and at the same time throw the corn cobettes into a pan of cold water for soaking)
Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the racks and then sprinkle a good helping of rosemary all over.
Prepare enough sweet potatoes for your guests, by wrapping in tin foil, and do the same with the sweetcorn cobettes, but add a little salt and pepper, and a small amount of butter. Since they have been soaked in water they won't dry out.
Bring your barbecue up to a good heat, a shoe box size fire will be perfect and make sure it is sizzling hot before you start.
I use a cast iron skillet for the next bit, but a baking tray will be equally fine. Get the skillet very hot by placing directly over the hottest part of the fire for a short while. Place the sweet potatoes and the sweetcorn on the edge of the cooking area, so they are close to the heat. Keep the lid closed down over the fire as much as possible to help get the potatoes and the corn to cook.
When the tray is up to temperature, place the lamb fat side down in the skillet, it should sizzle aggressively and start rendering down that fat. Close the lid and leave for 5 minutes.
Check the lamb and turn over to look at the fat, it needs to be browned and getting crispy, otherwise you are not going to get the taste, instead just a mouthful of fat. When it looks right ( see the picture below), remove the skillet from the direct heat and place to the far side of the fire, fat side up. After turning the potatoes and corn place a pan of peas in enough water to just cover them on the indirect heat area and close the lid down again and leave for 20 minutes. Try not to be tempted to check too often, as every time you lift the lid, you'll lose the oven effect.
After the 20 minutes you'll need to remove the lamb from the barbecue and cover with tin foil and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes, this is vital.
While the meat is resting, check the potatoes and corn. The corn can be finished off over the coals to get that beautiful chargrilled look. The potatoes I tend to cut in half and scrape out the insides for the kids, add some salt and butter. Drain the peas, add some butter to them as well, then bring it all together to the table.
The final bit is carving the meat, use a sharp knife and cut down the middle of each rib. You hope at this stage that the meat reveals a beautiful even pink/rare lamb cutlet. Plate up, add some mint sauce and a glass of something white and chilled.
Oh, and use your hands with the meat, there is nothing better than to eat lollipop meat on a stick and you don't leave any wasted meat on the bones!
No comments:
Post a Comment