Because we love a bloody good feed, PEDESTRIAN.TV has partnered with We Love Our Lamb to share these three staple recipes perfect whether you’re cooking for the first time out of home, or just keen to switch things up.
While there’s a whole lot to love about moving out of home, the lack of parental supervision forces you to quickly realise the gaps in your culinary knowledge. Once you’ve been eating the same two meals on an A/B rotation for a couple of weeks, things feel a little dark.
Oh, and this stuff happens a lot too.
Since there’s only so much spag bowl one person can take, here are three simple staple recipes to help lift your repertoire.
LAMB & VEGETABLE LAKSA
Ideal winter nourishment. (Photo: WeLoveOurLamb.com.au)
What you’ll need:
- 250 gm diced lamb
- 160 gm laksa paste (Asian aisle)
- 500 gm vegetable stock
- Coconut milk
- Hokkien noodles
- 2 zucchinis
- 1 carrot
- Snow peas
- Lime
- Sunflower oil
As the mercury drops, a heart-warming laksa is a must make. This recipe makes two servings, but since soups make for great leftovers, you might want to double the recipe measurements.
Start with slicing the carrot and zucchinis into thin strips. While you’re at it, soak 2 cups of Hokkien noodles in a bowl of cold water to loosen them up. Next up, toss your lamb with 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil before popping it in a smoking hot wok. You’ll want to cook until it’s brown on all sides, then add in the laksa paste.
Stir until fragrant (about thirty seconds), then add the stock and bring to the boil. Now’s the time throw in the carrot, stirring through and cooking for about a minute before chucking in the zucchini and noodles for 30 secs. Stir through coconut milk, turn off heat, and serve with snow peas on top, lime on the side. Slurps up.
LAMB & FETA BURGERS W/ SWEET POTATO CHIPS
Juicy. (Photo: WeLoveOurLamb.com.au)
What you’ll need:
- 600 gm lamb mince
- 200 gm feta
- 1/2 cup Greek yoghurt
- 2 red onions
- 1 Lebanese cucumber
- 1 sweet potato
- 4 burger buns (slightly sweet brioche is best!)
- Salt
- Mint
- Vinegar
You probably have some handle on a homemade burger, but this one’s pretty exceptional. This recipe makes four, so it’s best as a housemate dinner. Cute.
Start off with the patties: add a teaspoon of salt to the mince, and form four burger-sized patties. When you’re making these, don’t overwork them into tight units: it’s best to keep it a little loose. Now’s a good time to create the minty yoghurt too, which, funnily enough, combines finely chopped mint (about 2 tablespoons worth) with yoghurt.
To lend the onions and cucumbers a refreshing pickle tang, leave them to soak in a bowl of 1/2 cup vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoon salt all whisked together together.
Next up is the sweet potato chips. Be sure to give it a thorough wash before before thinly slicing it, leaving the skin on. A mandolin makes things real easy, if you have one. Shallow fry ’em with oil in a pan while finish cooking the final patties – you’ll be able to watch them as they get crispy, so multitasking isn’t too hard here. Pop them on a paper towel to drain as you make them in batches.
Cooking patties is easy. Just rub each side with oil, and place on a pan or grill, flipping with a spatula fairly regularly until cooked through. Do two at a time. Next up, assemble it all together: dollop the yoghurt at the base of the burger, then go with lamb, feta, onion and cucumber. Salted chips on the side. Bonza.
GRILLED LAMB AND QUINOA SALAD
Lean n green. (Photo: WeLoveOurLamb.com.au)
What you’ll need:
- 600 gm lamb leg steaks
- 200 gm red quinoa
- 300 gm broccoli
- 150 gm sugar snap peas
- 3 oranges
- 1 firm but ripe avo
- Olive oil
This one’s good to break out if you’re feeling a little undernourished. Consider it an antidote to those three desserts you had the night before. It makes four serves, but should hold well for leftovers.
First up, start cooking the quinoa in 2 cups of water. Bring it to the boil, then reduce it to low and simmer it for 12 mins or until the water is absorbed. Keep an eye on it, and when it’s done move it off the burner to cool slightly.
Now, grab a bowl to coat the lamb steaks with 2 teaspoons of olive oil and a lil’ salt. Cook them for 2-3 mins on each side in a frying pan on medium heat, then put them on a clean chopping board and cover with foil to rest for 5 mins. Don’t skip resting! It lets the juices settle.
While the lamb rests, cut the broccoli into florets, trim the snap peas and dice the avo. You’ll want to divvy up the oranges too: cut them into segments and get rid of any excess juice. We’re going to fry the broccoli in the same pan for about 2-5 mins until lightly charred, and blanch the peas so they’re cooked yet crisp (check out the burger recipe to see how to blanch).
When it’s been 5, uncover the lamb and cut it into small strips. When the quinoa is cooked, add in vegetables, avo and orange. Season to taste and add a little olive oil too, gently tossing. Top with lamb.
There you go. Now, stop ordering pad Thai every second day and start cooking.
Photo: WeLoveOurLamb.com.au
