The Food Fox

Slivers of lamb on a bed of noodles in a fragrant lamb broth. Photography by Tasha Seccombe.

Ramen has made a huge splash over the past few years in the Western world, although it’s been a staple for in the East for ages. The stuff that we know as “two-minute noodles” turned out to be much more posh that we could have ever imagined! Served right, it’s light yet incredibly flavourful and packed with umami because of a magnificent meat broth, layered with deep flavours and exotic spices.

The good news is that it can be made with major shortcuts, and it’s also the perfect way to enjoy leftovers from your Sunday roast. These days you’ll find excellent lamb & mutton fonds (and some pretty decent stock cubes) in most supermarkets, which means you don’t have to start from scratch with a homemade stock. Add a few key aromatics like star anise, ginger, garlic, chilli, shiitake mushrooms and soy sauce, and you’re pretty much already there. Top with fresh bean sprouts, chopped spring onions and a few slices of roast lamb (or pan fried lamb steaks) and you’re ready to rock your ramen.

I made the ramen in the photo with homemade lamb stock (using roasted lamb bones, onion, carrots, celery, black peppercorns, bay leaf, and water). Whether homemade or store bought – use whatever you prefer and have time for.

Ingredients: (serves 4)

• 1,25 liters good quality lamb stock/broth
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled, whole
• 1 knob ginger, peeled
• 1 star anise
• 30 ml soy sauce
• 1 chilli, halved and seeds removed (plus more for serving, optionally)
• 3-4 large shiitake mushrooms (or other exotic mushrooms, like shimeji), sliced
• 4 x 70g packets ramen noodles (noodles only, not spice sachets)
• about 2 cups leftover roasted lamb, shredded, warmed (or about 300 g lamb steak, pan-fried and finely sliced)
• one bunch spring onions, sliced, white part only
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• a handful fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped, to serve

Method:

1. Place the stock/broth in a medium size pot with the garlic, ginger, star anise, soy sauce, halved chilli and sliced mushrooms. Bring to a simmer and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, covered. Remove from the heat and let it stand while you prepare the noodles.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles until just tender. Drain and transfer to 4 bowls.
3. Strain the broth through a sieve, then top each bowl of noodles with warmed lamb, hot broth, spring onions, sprouts, more chilli (optional), and fresh coriander. Serve at once.

This recipe was created in collaboration with Lamb & Mutton South Africa. #CookingWithLamb #LambAndMuttonSA #WholesomeAndNutritious #CleanEating #TheWayNatureIntended

One of my favourite recipes this winter: a brothy white bean soup made with lamb knuckle and topped with salsa verde. Photography by Tasha Seccombe.

Although many of us know and love traditional South African bean soup made with red speckled beans, there’s another variety that you absolutely have to try. It is made with small white haricot beans (almost like Italian canellini beans, which are not very common in SA in its dried form). These beans are very smooth in texture and they tend to not fall apart as easily as their speckled cousins, resulting in a non-stodgy end result. This is a slightly thickened brothy soup with chunks of deliciously tender meat and beautiful, small, silky beans. Made with chicken stock instead of mutton or beef stock, the soup is also lighter in colour than most bean soups. A dollop of punchy green salsa verde adds just the right lift to this meal.

A single lamb knuckle, sliced by your butcher, is enough to add the meatiness that this soup needs. It’s an economical way to serve a stylish soup in a fresh way this Winter. Serve with crusty bread, if you like.

Ingredients: (serves 6)

• 30 ml olive oil
• about 600 g lamb knuckle, sliced horizontally by your butcher
• 1 large onion, peeled & finely chopped
• 1-2 sticks celery, finely chopped
• 1 large (or 2 medium) carrots, peeled & finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled & finely chopped
• 3 sprigs rosemary
• 250 ml dry white wine
• 2 liters chicken stock
• 500 g small white beans (haricot)
• salt & pepper, to taste
• for the salsa verde:
  • a handful each parsley, basil & mint
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 2 teaspoons capers
  • 15-30 ml lemon juice
  • 45-60 ml olive oil
  • a pinch of salt
  • 10 ml Dijon mustard

Method:

1. Heat the oil on high heat in a large wide pot (at least 6 liters capacity), then fry lamb knuckle in batches until browned on both sides (cut larger chunks of meat in half). Remove the meat from the pot and set aside, then turn down heat to  medium.
2. Fry the onion, celery & carrot until soft, stirring often (add a little more oil if needed). Add the garlic & rosemary (add the sprigs whole, you’ll remove the woody stems later) and fry for another minute.
3. The bottom of the pot should be coated with sticky brown bits by now. Add the white wine and stir to deglaze. Add the fried meat with all the juices back into the pot, then top with stock. Add the beans and stir. Note: Don’t add any salt until tright at he end, otherwise the beans won’t become tender.
4. Bring to a simmer, stirring now and then, then turn heat down to low, cover with a lid and cook for about 2,5-3 hours until the meat is falling from the bone and the beans are really tender.
5. Season generously with salt & pepper and remove from the heat to rest for about 15 minutes before serving.
6. To make the salsa verde, chop all the ingredients together by hand or in a food processor. Taste and adjust with more salt or lemon juice if needed.
7. Serve the soup in bowls with a dollop of salsa verde (and some crusty bread for dipping, optionally).

This recipe was created in collaboration with Lamb & Mutton South Africa. #CookingWithLamb #LambAndMuttonSA #WholesomeAndNutritious #CleanEating #TheWayNatureIntended

Naturally gluten-free, this fragrant and spicy lamb stew is easy to make, hearty, and perfect for Autumn & Winter. Photography by Tasha Seccombe.

This easy North African-style lamb & chickpea stew is heartier than a soup, yet it doesn’t need to be served with any added starch. It is high in protein, relatively low in fat and naturally gluten-free.

I love the fact that it can be made with a few pantry staples like canned tomatoes and chickpeas, stretching a relatively small amount of meat to serve a crowd. Top it generously with fresh herbs like coriander, mint or parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice. Perfect Autumn fare!

Ingredients: (serves 4-6)

• 30 ml olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• about 800 g boneless lamb/mutton, cubed 2x2cm (leg works well, but any boneless meat will work)
• 2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon) ground cumin
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon) smoked paprika
• 2,5 ml (1/2 teaspoon) harissa dried spice blend (or cayenne pepper)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon) sugar
• 500 ml lamb/mutton stock
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 2 cans chickpeas, drained
• finely grated zest (and 15 ml juice, reserved) of a fresh lemon
• salt & pepper, to taste
• a generous handful fresh coriander/mint/parsley, to serve

Method:

1. In a large heavy based pot with lid, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and fry until translucent and soft. Turn up the heat and add the meat cubes, browning on all sides but not cooking through.
2. Add the garlic, cumin, paprika, harissa, cinnamon stick and stir for 1 minute.
3. Add the sugar, stock, tomatoes, chickpeas and lemon zest and bring to a simmer. Turn down heat to very low, then simmer for about 2 hours or until the meat is very tender, stirring now and then to check that the bottom is not burning.
4. Season generously with salt & pepper, add the lemon juice and stir in half of the fresh herbs. Remove from the heat. Serve in bowls with more fresh herbs.

Note: This stew can be made a day or two ahead and reheated – it also freezes well. Leg meat should take less time to get tender, but any cut will eventually get really soft.

This recipe was created in collaboration with Lamb & Mutton South Africa. #CookingWithLamb #LambAndMuttonSA #WholesomeAndNutritious #CleanEating #TheWayNatureIntended

This lamb tagine is fragrant and mild, topped with zesty preserved lemon. Photography by Tasha Seccombe.

There are few things as inviting as the smell of a fragrant, spicy, exotic lamb tagine bubbling away in your kitchen. I used a dry harissa spice blend that you’ll be able to find in most supermarkets, but a fresh harissa paste will also work well. Adjust the heat by adding more dried/fresh chillies to your liking, if necessary. I prefer a fragrant tagine that is more spicy than hot.

Preserved lemon is a magical yet common Middle Eastern and Mediterranean ingredient made with lemons, coarse salt and water. It has a very distinctive taste – you only use the rind, sliced. Specialty stores stock it now and then in SA, but you can also easily make your own (it takes 3 months to mature, but it will last for years on the shelf, unopened). If you cannot find preserved lemon, substitute it with fresh lemon rind, finely grated.

Ingredients: (serves 6)

60 ml olive oil
1,2 kg boneless lamb (or mutton), cubed into bite size portions
salt & pepper
10 ml cake flour
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
10 ml dried ground harissa spice blend (or 15 ml harissa paste)
10 ml ground cumin
10 ml ground coriander
5 ml ground ginger
15 ml ground paprika
1 liter warm lamb stock (or chicken stock)
1/2 cup dried pitted dates (or dried apricots, sliced)
1/2 preserved lemon, skin only, sliced into strips (plus more for serving)
a handful flaked almonds, toasted, for serving
a handful mint and/or coriander leaves, for serving
cooked cousous or rice, for serving

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a heavy based large pot (or tagine) over high heat. Fry the meat cubes in batches, seasoning with salt & pepper. Add the flour to the last batch and stir well for one minute before removing the cubes from the pot. Turn down the heat to low.
2. Add the onion & garlic and fry for about 3-5 minutes until it is soft. Turn up the heat to medium, then add the harissa, cumin, coriander, ginger and paprika. Stir for one minute.
3. Add the stock and stir well with a wooden spoon to loosen all the sticky bits on the bottom. Add the fried meat back to the pot, along with the dates and preserved lemon. Stir and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cover with a lid and cook for 2 hours or until the meat is really tender, stirring every 20 minutes to prevent the bottom from burning (the dates have a high sugar content).
4. When the meat is tender, remove from the heat and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot with couscous or rice, topped with more preserved lemon rind, toasted flaked almonds and fresh mint/coriander.

Note: This tagine can be made a day ahead and reheated before serving as the flavours improve on standing (store in the refigerator overnight). Freezes very well.

This is the fourth recipe in a series of four Mediterranean-inspired Autumn/Winter dishes for Lamb & Mutton SA. Also check out my recipes for Greek-style 8-hour leg of lamb with origanum & lemon, Italian-style lamb & tomato ragu with gnocchi, and easy lamb chop bourguignon.

This hearty lamb chop stew in red wine is based on the classic French beef bourguignon, perfect for colder evenings. Photography by Tasha Seccombe.

Beef bourguignon is probably one of the best-known classic French dishes, also famously featured in the movie Julie & Julia. This fuss-free version is made with delicious lamb chops – a hearty, upgraded “plan B” for when the weather is not ideal for a braai. Yes, there’s more than one way to enjoy a chop. Bring on winter, please!

This recipe is also perfect for making in a cast iron potjie over the fire, if you prefer. Check out my easy how-to video:

Ingredients: (serves 6)

45 ml olive oil
1,2 kg lamb chops
salt & pepper
250 g streaky bacon, chopped
2 large onions, peeled & quartered
4 cloves garlic, peeled & sliced
5 sprigs thyme, woody stalks removed
30 ml tomato paste
10 ml cake flour
750 ml dry red wine (a Bordeaux-style blend works well)
250 g small mushrooms (or halved if bigger)
500 g tagliatelle, cooked & buttered, for serving
a handful fresh parsley, chopped, for serving

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 170 C.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy based large pot (that has a lid) over high heat. Fry the chops in batched, browning them on both sides and seasoning with salt & pepper. Remove from the pot and turn down the heat to low.
3. Add the bacon, onions, garlic & thyme and fry for 2-3 minutes, stirring.
4. Add the tomato paste & flour, stirring.
5. Add the red wine and stir to loosen any sticky bits on the bottom of the pot. Now add the browned meat and juices back to the pot and bring to a simmer. Cover with a lid and braise in the oven for about 2,5-3 hours or until the meat is just starting to fall from the bone. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
6. Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 10-15 minutes (covered), then remove from the oven.
   Serve hot with freshly cooked tagliatelle (or rice or potatoes) and scattered parsley.

Note: This tagine can be made a day ahead and reheated before serving as the flavours improve on standing (store in the refigerator overnight). Freezes very well.

This is the third recipe in a series of four Mediterranean-inspired Autumn/Winter dishes for Lamb & Mutton SA. Also check out my recipes for Greek-style 8-hour leg of lamb with origanum & preserved lemon and Italian-style lamb & tomato ragu with gnocchi.

Lamb & tomato ragu with gnocchi, basil and parmesan (photography by Tasha Seccombe)

This is hands-down one of the most comforting dishes I’ve ever eaten. It is made with boneless lamb that’s been cubed into 1 x 1 cm blocks – don’t stress about the labour, it goes quickly and it’s actually quite therapeutic (read: pour yourself a glass of wine while you do it). You can use chops, leg or even stewing meat, just remove the bones and chop-chop-chop. The result is a chunkier ragu than those made with ground meat, very tender with an incredible mouth-feel and packed with simple, robust flavours. Just the way the Italians intended.

I love serving this ragu with gnocchi, but it also works well with pasta – homemade is best. Fresh basil and grated parmigiano is compulsory. Bellissima!

Check out this handy how-to video:

Ingredients: (serves 6)

45 ml olive oil
1 large onion, peeled & finely chopped
1-2 celery sticks, finely chopped
1 large carrot, peeled & finely chopped
2 sprigs rosemary, woody stems removed & finely chopped
1 kg boneless lamb/mutton, cubed into 1 x 1 cm pieces
1 cup (250 ml) dry white wine
2 cans whole Italian tomatoes, roughly chopped, with juice
salt & pepper
5 ml sugar
about 750g-1 kg fresh gnocchi, cooked, to serve (or 500 g dried pasta, cooked)
a handful fresh basil leaves, to serve
grated parmesan cheese, to serve

Method:

1. In a heavy based large pot, heat the oil over medium heat and fry the onion, celery, carrot and rosemary until soft and fragrant.
2. Add the cubed meat and turn up the heat. Fry until it starts to catch (get brown and sticky) on the bottom stirring often – this is important, so be patient. It takes about 10-15 minutes.
3. Add the wine and stir to deglaze. Add the chopped tomatoes with juice, season with salt & pepper, add the sugar and stir. Bring to a simmer, then turn the heat down low, cover and cook for 2-3 hours until very soft. Stir every now and then.
4. Serve with cooked gnocchi or pasta, with fresh basil and grated parmesan cheese.

Note: Store-bought gnocchi don’t pan-fry well and should rather be boiled briefly in salted water until they pop to the surface. Freshly made gnocchi can be directly pan-fried in butter until golden, it only take a few minutes over medium heat and it is most definitely my preference.

This is the second recipe in a series of four Mediterranean-inspired Autumn/Winter dishes for Lamb & Mutton SA. Also check out my recipe for Greek-style 8-hour leg of lamb with origanum & preserved lemon.

The most lemony leg of lamb, slow braised for 8 hours, Greek-style. (Photography & co-styling by Tasha Seccombe. Food preparation and co-styling by Ilse van der Merwe.)

Easter weekend is here and many of us are getting ready to feast generously with friends and family. To me, entertaining a crowd is all about fuss-free choices so that you can cut back on the stress of catering and actually enjoy the feast as much as everyone else.

One of my choices for a low effort / big result showstopping roast is this Greek-style lemony leg of lamb. In Greek cooking, simplicity reigns supreme. There are very few ingredients in this recipe, making sure the flavour of the meat remains the most important: only lemon, dried origanum, olive oil, salt and pepper, and a touch of water. The meat releases so much of its own juices, so you actually braise the meat and potatoes slowly in a lemony lamb broth. The result is just magnificent, because although the meat falls apart completely, it is still pink in colour and super juicy.

Use leftovers to make the most incredible lemony lamb sandwiches the next day. A generous dollop of tzatziki won’t hurt either.

Happy Easter everybody!

Note: Remember to start this dish very early in the morning if you’re having it for lunch, or late morning if you’re having it for dinner. You can even cook it overnight (without the potatoes) and reheat before serving. Take a look at my easy how-to video below:

Ingredients: (serves 6-8)

• 2-2,5 kg leg of lamb (ask your butcher to hack the shank bone so it will be able to bend and fit in your tray)
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 4-6 lemons)
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 15 ml dried origanum
• 10 ml salt
• 5 ml ground black pepper
• about 1,5 kg small-medium potatoes, peeled (and halved, if big)

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 120 C.
2. Place the leg of lamb in a large non-corrosive (stainless steel or ceramic) deep roasting tray, fat side up. Pour over the lemon juice, water and olive oil, then sprinkle all over with origanum. Season generously with salt & pepper. (I like to also add some of the juiced lemon halves to the tray, but it is optional.)
3. Cover with a layer of non-stick baking paper, tucking the sides in around the leg. Cover tightly with 2 layers of foil. Place in the oven and roast for 4 hours at 120 C, then add the potatoes and return to the oven for 4 more hours.
4. Remove the foil and baking paper. Crank the heat up to 220 C, then roast uncovered for 15 minutes.
5. To serve, press the meat here and there to gently fall apart and suck up more of the lemony broth. Serve with the potatoes, a Greek salad, perhaps some tzatziki and optionally some toasted pita bread to soak up the runny juices.

This recipe is part of a Mediterranean-inspired series for Lamb & Mutton South Africa. To learn more about South African lamb and mutton and to find more recipes, go to www.cookingwithlamb.co.za.

Yesterday I attended the first merino tasting session hosted by well known Stellenbosch Chef Bertus Basson and Cape wine master Bennie Howard of Veritas, in collaboration with Agri-Expo and Lamb & Mutton SA as part of the Woordfees 2018 in Stellenbosch.

Four legs of lamb, taken from animals of the same age, farmed in different areas (Hamtam, Kamdeboo, Overberg and Boland) were cooked at 68 °C sous vide for 12 hours, with no salt/herbs/spices and served at room temperature. This way the unique terroir of each of the meats can be identified, tasted and appreciated. In case you didn’t know, most of the mutton that we find in SA is free range. Along with the four meats, a tasting of four Veritas awarded wines were presented by Bennie Howard: Holden Manz Big G 2013, Ridgeback Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, Diemersdal Pinotage 2016 and Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Shiraz 2013. All four incredible wines could be paired with your choice of meat, and the differences in tastes in the audience were interesting to see.

Some notes on the terroir of each of the meats:

1. Hantam (Calvinia, Great Karoo): hard, sun scorched, dry, biodiverse hotspot, winter rainfall, animals mainly eat karoo bossies.

2. Kamdeboo (Graaf Reinet, Eastern Cape): succulent Karoo, grass lands, cold winters, summer rainfall.

3. Overberg (Swellendam): fynbos territory, the heart of merino territory, winter rainfall, cold winters.

4. Boland: animals feed on “stoppellande” after harvest season, receive additional feed because of current drought, very hot summers.

When you taste lamb or mutton meat, you’re looking for the following qualities: herbaciousness, minerality, fat content and grain. It was eye opening to taste and experience the unique differences in each of the meats and to see the differences in grain (like they say in Afrikaans: “Daar’s ‘n skaap vir elke smaak”). According to Bertus, his personal favourite mutton cuts are neck, rib and shoulders. He also said that mutton chops should be braaied crispy and seasoned only with salt. This way you can really appreciate the taste of the meat and enjoy the unique fatty edges. No fancy-shmancy pink chops for him! I like that.

Get your tickets for the upcoming exclusive merino tasting sessions with Bertus & Bennie from Computicket – next sessions on Thursday 8 March 12h00 and Sunday 11 March 12h00, R160 pre-bought or R180 at the door. #CookingWithLamb #Lambassador #WeLoveLamb #TheWayNatureIntended

Here is my taste experience in pictures:

The tables at Die Khaya, Woordfees 2018, almost ready for a merino tasting session.

Tasting notes and more information about the Veritas wines.

Our four Veritas wines as part of the tasting experience, to be paired with four different marino lamb meats.

Paper plates with four different lamb meats for the tasting session, served at room temperature with no flavourings or seasonings.

My tasting station at the merino tasting session.

Bennie Howard of Veritas tells us more about the four red wines that he has selected for the tasting.

Chef Bertus Basson tells us more about his love of South African mutton and lamb.

Bertus listens to Bennie’s expert wine tasting notes.

Marina Bester of Lamb & Mutton SA takes a picture of Bertus for social media. It’s always great to see a few behind-the-scene shots! What a great afternoon in the company of experts!