Recipe: Pistachio crusted lamb with fruit and nut cous cous

The preparation time for this dish really makes it a weekend meal unless you're a home duties cook. This recipe was developed by the boy and I bouncing ingredients off each other while playing games this afternoon and being the first attempt I would probably have cooked it a little rarer than this attempt. The crust however was so freakin' good that we both ended up scraping the roasting dish for more; highly recommended.



Crusted lamb

2 lamb sirloins (~400g)
1 cup pistachios
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 tablespoon rosemary
Olive oil to drizzle

Method:

• Shell the pistachos and chop into pieces small enough to coat meat, about twice the size of a sesame seed is perfect, larger pieces than this will simply fall off the meat. Experiments with electronic devices for nut crushing have been unsuccessful, when in doubt wield a hefty chef's knife





• On a board or tray place 40cm of greased paper; place the rosemary, salt and nuts on the paper and roll to mix thoroughly.





• Roll the loins whole in the crust mix, for patchy areas pick up quantities of the nut mix in your hands and press onto the meat until it sticks.





• Place the crusted lamb on alfoil and drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the meat pieces.


• Place the tray into a lidded BBQ or oven set to 180C and let roast for half an hour or until the meat is at your desired temperature.





• Slice the meat taking care not to knock off much of the crust and serve with cous cous as below.

Fruit and nut cous cous

1 cup water
1 cup cous cous
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp pine nuts
3 tbsp sultanas
chopped coriander

Method:

• Cous cous is virtually "instant" and ergo should be cooked only when the meat is 5 minutes from serving


• Toast the pine nuts in the oil in a non stick pan over low heat.





• Put the water on the heat, when it is boiled add the cous cous and stir over low heat.


• When the water is absorbed fluff with a fork to separate the grains and give a lighter texture.


• Add the butter and continue to stir through with the fork until the butter is melted.





• Add the sultanas and toasted pine nuts and stir well.


• Serve with fresh chopped coriander as a garnish.