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| view across lake at my work Laurence Winery |
l often wonder what it is in my DNA that sets me apart from other women l know who derive immense pleasure from a solid day of clothes shopping. I myself can think of nothing worse and have even taken to buying my clothes online. But in saying this l do understand the feelings that go with this need, and l indeed get these feelings when it comes to food shopping. This realisation came to me the other day when l was leaving work and driving the 30 minutes down the iconic Caves Road and recognising the excitement rumbling in my mind when l was nearing Mc Henrys Farm shop. One reason involved the great latte l always get there, and then my mind turned to the thought of the fridges full of freshly butchered meat. What goes on in my head? Does anyone else think like this? The funny thing is that l cant even eat the meat. My pleasure instead comes from the pleasure of choosing a cut of meat, and then deciding what to do with it, and of course watching and listening to Tims delight in eating the end product. Like l said, what goes on in my head? So the other day when l was there, l picked up a packet of lamb steaks and some chuck steak, and a latte, of course. I have never used lamb steaks before, but thought that being lamb it would go well with cumin and l know Tim had opened a bottle of spicy red wine and the fridge was full of market fresh vegetables, and l had bought a deliciously Moroccan flavoured dukka, and my little vege garden was overflowing with baby spinach leaves. So all the elements were there and this is what l did with it.
Lamb steaks with cumin and red wine sauce and roasted vegetable salad
press some cumin seeds into steaks and drizzle with olive oil and salt
Red wine sauce
In a small sauce pot add 1 tab butter and 1 clove garlic crushed, cook until butter melted and garlic fragrant.
add 1 tab brown sugar, stir in and then 1 1/2 cups red wine. Cook this on med heat until it reduces to a saucy consistency, about 5 mins. Keep warm.
Vegetable salad
Preheat oven to 200. Place duck fat or olive oil in baking tray into oven to get hot.
Cut 2 potatoes into large chunks and boil until a little soft, strain.
Cut other vegetables into large pieces, l used sweet potato, 2 shallots, 1/2 zucchini.
Place all vegetables into baking tray in oven and cook until golden. Love using duck fat, especially for potatoes. In the mean time make a dressing with white wine vinegar, a little dijon mustard, light olive oil, 1 teas honey and some dukka to taste.
When veges are cooked, place in a bowl and mix in some baby spinach leaves and drizzle over some dressing.
To cook steaks, get grill pan nice and hot and then cook steaks 1 min then turn 1 min, then turn 1 min and remove. let rest while you plate the salad. drizzle red wine sauce on steak. Done and yum.
