Lamb, Eggplant and Lemon Myrtle Meatballs

Lamb has a great flavour, and I just love combining it with mediterranean ingredients like roasted eggplant, hummus and feta cheese. These meatballs use lamb mince and are inspired by a Donna Hay recipe, with some tweaking and improv (the way that I cook most days!) as well as the addition of a native Australian herbs Sea Parsley and Lemon Myrtle Flakes.

These make amazing finger food, part of a buffet spread or appetisers. When you serve them at a party or gathering, grab one quickly, they won't last!

INGREDIENTS

1 medium-large eggplant, finely diced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
500gm lamb mince
3 small-medium cloves garlic, crushed
1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese (alternatively, use feta cheese)
Outback Pride Sea Parsley
Outback Pride Lemon Myrtle Flakes
Freshly ground black pepper and sea salt, to taste
Extra 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius. Toss the finely diced eggplant in 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, and spread on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Cook in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes (will vary depending on your oven and how finely the eggplant are diced, so keep an eye on them toward the end to prevent burning). Allow to cool.
2. In a bowl, mix the lamb mince with the crushed garlic, Australian native herbs, salt and pepper, crumbled goat cheese and cooled roasted eggplant. 
3. Scoop a heaped teaspoon of meatball mixture and roll into a ball. Repeat until the mixture is all used up. If you have time to keep the meatballs in the fridge for an hour or two, this will help them keep their shape when cooking.
4. Warm up the second tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat, and then brown the meatballs in batches, cooking for about 5 minutes.
5. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200 degrees celsius for 5 minutes or until meatballs are cooking through. If making ahead, allow to cool after step 4, and then finish cooking in the oven right before serving.
6. Serve as they are, or accompany with a tasty dip such as Tzatziki or Hummus.

Lamb Chop and Bush Tomato Curry

Everyone in the family from the age of 3 to 35 finished their bowl of this new and tasty curry tonight, so I figure that's a recommendation :) With the scent of cinnamon and subtle smokiness of bush tomato, it is a mild curry in layers of flavour. Serves 4-6.

Ingredients:

Olive oil spray
6 lamb chops (I use free range bbq chops)
1 tbsp ghee
2 onions
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
2 tsp Outback Pride Bush Tomato Seasoning
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp Outback Pride Tanami Fire (more for additional spice)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tin diced tomatoes
1 cup chicken stock
Natural yogurt, to serve (optional)
Fresh coriander, to serve (optional)


Method:

Spray a large non-stick frying pan lightly with olive oil spray. Heat over high heat and brown the chops on each side, in batches. Put the browned chops in the base of a casserole dish.

Melt the ghee in the frying pan and reduce the heat to low. Cook the onion gently for ten minutes until soft and golden. Add the garlic and ginger, and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the cumin, coriander, Bush Tomato Seasoning, turmeric and Tanami Fire and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Add the cinnamon to the tin of tomatoes and pour into the pan. Bring to a simmer and then pour it over the chops in the casserole dish. Pour in the chicken stock and lightly stir.

Bake at 160 degrees for 1.5 hours for the best, soft lamb that falls off the bones. Use tongs to remove the bones and pull away any fatty strips. Serve with rice, and garnish with natural yogurt and fresh coriander. Serve!

Kutjera and Native Pepper Lamb Shanks

This is a new, improved variation on an old fave. Perfect for the cooler weather. Cannellini beans add some extra bulk and a lovely creamy texture.

 Ingredients

300gm butternut pumpkin, peeled and chopped roughly
2 cups beef stock
4 lamb shanks, french trimmed if you prefer (this is mostly about presentation, though, so I don't worry about it)
1/2 cup plain flour
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large brown onion, finely chopped
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup dry red wine
400ml tin diced tomatoes
1 cinnamon stick
1 tbsp Outback Pride Whole Kutjera
1 tsp Outback Pride Native Pepper Seasoning
1 tin cannellini beans
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to serve
Parsley, to garnish

Step One

Coat the lamb shanks in the flour, shaking off any excess. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, or a casserole dish suitable for stovetop cooking, over medium-high heat. Add the lamb shanks and cook for 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally, or until well browned all over. Remove the lamb from the pan and set aside.

Step Two

Add the onion and garlic to the same pan and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until onion has softened. Return the lamb shanks to the pan along with the beef stock, red wine, tomatoes, cinnamon stick, kutjera and native pepper seasoning. Bring to the boil and then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 50 minutes, turning the shanks occasionally. Alternatively, place the casserole dish, covered, in a moderate oven for 1 hour.

Alternatively, transfer all the ingredients, including the pumpkin, to a slow cooker and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours.

Step Three

Add the pumpkin to the pan and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender and the sauce slightly thickened. Stir in the cannellini beans, salt and pepper (to taste) and simmer until the beans are warmed through. Top with chopped parsley and serve with mash, rice or accompanied by crusty bread.

Serves 4

Lamb and Mountain Pepper Cassoulet

I make this recipe in my slow cooker, but if you are going to cook it in a casserole dish, begin by preheating the oven to 160 degrees celsius.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1kg lamb chops (I use free range bbq chops from my butcher)
1 bunch spring onions, ends trimmed, cut into 10cm lengths
400gm can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
3 large garlic cloves, crushed
3 sprigs rosemary
1 tablespoon Outback Pride Mountain Pepper
1 cup passatta
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup chicken stock

Step One

Heat oil in a large frying pan and brown chops on both sides, in batches. Transfer to slow cooker or casserole dish.

Step Two

Add spring onions, beans, garlic, rosemary and mountain pepper to the lamb. Pour the chicken stock, red wine and passatta over the lamb.

Step Three

Cook in the slow cooker for 4 hours on high, 7-8 hours on low or if cooking in a casserole dish, about 90 minutes with the lid on. Serve over rice, garnish with yoghurt or sour cream.