With Easter fast approaching, it’s time to think of the spread we’ll be putting on the table this year – but fear not, we’ve got you covered!
Why not change things up this year with some new recipes, and give your Easter spread a modern twist?
Spicy Lamb Flatbread
This spicy lamb flatbreads meal is a winner of a dish – very fortuitous if you have some leftover roasted lamb. It is so winsome, in fact, that it is worth roasting a lamb shoulder for the purpose of making these flatbreads!
You can serve these flatbreads for drinks parties where they are invariably met with resounding favour. However, you could, of course, make them as a main course… figure on each person having a flatbread of their own! A little chopped tomato salad on the side would be perfect!
INGREDIENTS
- 6 oval flatbreads/3 lavash/6 large pita breads
- 1 ¼ c crème fraiche
- 1 cup aubergine cardamom jam or tomato sauce or your favourite sundried tomato paste
- 800g roasted lamb shoulder, torn
- 8 T olive oil
- 3 – 4 tsp Banhoek chili oil to taste
- ½ c chermoula paste (see recipe below)
- ½ c tahini
- ¼ c toasted pine nuts
- 1 bunch Italian parsley
- Salt and Black Pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
When you are ready to assemble the flatbreads, preheat the oven to 200°C
Lay the flatbreads on baking paper lined baking trays (you might need to do these 2 at a time, depending on your oven.) But no sweat, they are so fantastic people will be happy to fall upon them and share as they come out in waves. Also, you can impress the watching guests with your assembly prowess!
Spread the flatbreads with a good dessertspoonful of crème fraiche. Spread or dollop the tomato sauce over the crème fraiche. Layer the torn lamb on top of these two layers. Drizzle the olive oil over the torn lamb. Pop the flatbreads in the hot oven for 5 – 7 minutes.
When you remove the flatbreads from the oven, drizzle with the chermoula (you may want to add a few glugs of olive oil to the paste to thin it down for this purpose). Zig zig a good spoonful of tahini over the flatbread. Sprinkle with the chili oil to taste and top with the roughly chopped parsley and toasted pine nuts. Cut into easy-to-eat pieces, arrange on a board and watch them all disappear!
Roasted Lamb Shoulder
INGREDIENTS
Lamb –
- 3 long sprigs of rosemary
- A small bunch of thyme
- 2 onions, peeled and quartered
- 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 8 cloves of garlic, sliced in halves
- 2 splashes of olive oil for coating
- Salt and white pepper for seasoning
- 1 – 2 tsp of your favourite meat rub (I like a Moroccan Rub)
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 cup strong chicken stock
- Pre-heat the oven to 180°C.
Chermoula-
- 30g coriander
- 30g flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp Banhoek chili oil
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- 1/4tsp salt
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS
In a heavy oven casserole or deep roasting dish, arrange the onions, herbs and half of the garlic.
Coat the lamb with a splash or two of olive oil. Squeeze the remaining garlic into every natural crevice of the meat or make your own small holes with a sharp knife so that you have garlic studding the meat. Now season the meat well with salt and white pepper and if using, rub a flavour rub of your choosing over the meat. After all this intimacy, place the lamb on top of the onions and herbs and pour the wine and stock around the meat. Cover with a heavy lid or tightly wrap the dish in a double layer of foil. (If the meat is touching the foil, place a small piece of baking paper between meat and foil to prevent any sticking).
Place the dish in an 180°C oven and bake for 1 hour. After an hour, turn the heat down to 160°C for another 2 ½ hours. Check the roasting dish after 2 hours to see how it’s doing. You might need a little liquid top-up. Depending on how tender, you can decide whether you want to leave it in the oven for another 1 – 1 ½ hours.
After all these hours in the oven, your lamb will have reduced in size but it will be very tender. Remove the meat carefully from the pot (you might need two hands beneath the meat to hold it together) and place it on a wooden board. Cover the joint with foil and allow it to rest for 20 – 30 mins. You can prepare the lamb to this point up to one or two days the day before. You will only be using about ½ of the joint for your flatbreads, so you will have meat enough for another lunch or dinner with all the vegetables and gravy that you used for cooking.
The meat will be so tender, that the bones are very easily removed. Tear the lamb that you need for the flatbreads, about 8 good portions. (You can use your hands or 2 forks). Set aside in preparation for assembly.
Chermoula –
Put all the ingredients except the olive oil in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to chop and combine. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil to form a rich thick paste.
Chilli Brownies
This delicious sweet and spicy treat was created by a family that we have come to admire for their wonderful family blog called The Ogbornes.
INGREDIENTS
- 225g butter
- 100g cocoa powder
- 4 large free-range eggs
- 450g caster sugar
- 1⁄2 tsp vanilla extract
- 150g self-raising flour – sifted
- 1 level tbsp of Banhoek chilli oil
- Icing sugar, for dusting
- Pre-heat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
INSTRUCTIONS
- Grease a 4cm-deep rectangular tin, 28cm x 19cm, and line with baking paper.
- Melt the butter in a small pan.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the cocoa.
- Set aside for 10 minutes.
- Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla together in a large bowl until pale and foamy.
- Stir in the cocoa mixture, flour and chilli oil.
- Turn into the tin and bake for 35 minutes or until the top is firm but the middle is soft.
- Cool for 10 minutes, then turn out on a wire rack.
- When cold, cut into squares and dust with icing sugar.
About Banhoek Chilli Oil
Banhoek Chilli Oil carries the bold flavours of sun-ripened Bird’s Eye chillies with just the right hit of heat. Created in South Africa’s Western Cape winelands in small batches, it uses the finest ingredients, including canola oil, unlike overpowering olive oil used by other producers, to deliver a balanced flavour. The chillies are filtered out of the oil after infusion to ensure the exact flavour and level of spice is achieved, and the same love spreads through the brand’s dedication to social and environmental responsibility, which sit at the heart of Banhoek’s ethos.
