Slow-cooked Lamb with Rosemary Cauli-mash
A delicious combination of flavours in this recipe featuring lamb neck fillets. Served over a rosemary-flavoured cauli-mash and several other tasty toppings! Best suited to serve 3 people as it is incredibly rich.
Servings 3
Calories 520kcal
Ingredients
For the slow-cooked lamb & sauce
- 2 lamb neck fillets (approx. 200g / 7oz each)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 TB lard
- 1/2 onion peeled and finely sliced
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and finely chopped
- 100 g dry red wine
- 450 g beef stock
- 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
For the rosemary cauli-mash
- 350 g cauliflower florets
- 35 g full-fat cream cheese (soft cheese)
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and finely chopped
- 1-2 rosemary sprigs needles picked and finely chopped
- salt and ground white pepper
For the tomatoes and pine nuts
- 6 cherry tomatoes halved
- powdered erythritol confectioners
- 1/2 tsp olive oil
- salt
- 15 g pine kernels
To finish
- 1 lemon zest only (finely grated)
- sea salt flakes
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan oven). This is 180°C for conventional ovens (or 350°F / gas mark 4).
- Remove the lamb neck fillets from their packaging and pat dry with good-quality kitchen paper. Season the lamb on all sides with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Heat the lard in a large non-stick pan over high heat. Once very hot, sear the lamb fillets on all sides until golden and caramelised. NOTE: This browning step does not "seal" the meat - that is a cooking myth! It is merely to add much more flavour due to a chemical reaction referred to as the Maillard Reaction caused by the caramelisation of the outside of meat cuts.
- Use tongs to remove the lamb from the pan and set aside on a plate for now.
- There should still be plenty of fat in the pan. Add the onions and cook over a lower heat until the onions soften. Once softened, add the garlic and cook until those too soften.NOTE: I always add the garlic after the onions have softened because garlic tends to burn quicker and burnt garlic is bitter and not tasty.Add the red wine and increase the heat: cook until the red wine completely cooks out (evaporates).
- Once the wine has all evaporated and you are left with a jammy purple mixture, pour in the beef stock. DO NOT SEASON THIS MIXTURE WITH SALT, please. Never season any mixture with salt if you plan on reducing it. The end-result will be far too concentrated with salty flavour.
- Continue to boil this mixture until it reduces by about two-thirds. I weighed my end-result and it was only 180g / 6.4oz.Transfer this whole mixture into a smallish, deep roasting dish, then place the lamb neck fillets on top.
- Here is the important part: cover the dish with foil and ensure that it is air-tight. If any air escapes, you will be left with less base for your 'gravy' (because it will evaporate) - but more importantly, your lamb might dry out as opposed to being tender and falling apart which is what we want here.
- Place the covered dish in the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Have a glass of wine and put your feet up for a bit - but you can also prepare some of the other elements during this time:
- For the cauliflower mash, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Cook the cauliflower florets until they have completely softened. When pierced with a fork - a floret should immediately slide off.
- Drain well in a colander and allow it to steam off (this prevents a water mash).Return the drained cauliflower to the same pan (wiped dry if needed) and add the cream cheese. Use a potato masher to mash well. Season generously with salt and ground white pepper.
- To finish the cauli-mash, melt the butter in a clean, non-stick pan and add the garlic. Cook over moderately low heat - we only want to soften the garlic so do not allow them to turn golden as this will affect the flavour.At the same time, finely chop the needles from 1-2 fresh rosemary sprigs. You want about one tablespoon.
- Pour the cooked garlic (and all the butter) as well as the chopped rosemary into the pan of mashed cauliflower, mixing well to combine.
- I like my cauli-mash super smooth so I always transfer the mixture to a food processor and blitz well. Taste your mixture: if you feel it needs a little more salt and white pepper, add it now.Once done. set aside to keep warm.
- You can also use this time to toast the pine nuts in a hot, dry non-stick pan until golden. Many people do not realise that toasting nuts increases their flavour five-fold! Set them aside to use as the garnish.
- For the cherry tomatoes, place the halves into a bowl and drizzle over the olive oil. Season with a little salt and a generous pinch of sweetener, mixing well to evenly coat. Lay them out (cut side-up) on a small baking tray and place in the hot oven for 10-12 minutes. (The temperature it is currently at is fine.)
- Once your lamb has done its time in the oven, remove the dish from the oven. Remove the foil.
- Gently remove the lamb from the dish and set aside to keep warm, covered with foil to rest a little.
- Tip all the contents from the lamb roasting dish into your smallest pan. Use a hand blender to blitz it well. You will notice it turns lighter in colour. The fat rendered from the lamb while it cooked helps emulsify the mixture, and the onions and garlic add the 'body'. If you feel the gravy is not thick enough, leave it on a low simmer and it will thicken as it reduces.Once done, stir through the wholegrain mustard.
- Your lamb should be soft enough to slice or shred into smaller pieces. Serve the cauli-mash with the lamb pieces on top and drizzle over the gravy. Top with the roasted cherry tomatoes and toasted pine nuts.
- To finish, scatter over salt flakes (only if needed) and freshly ground black pepper. Finely grated lemon zest finishes your masterpiece off beautifully!
Notes
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A new-and-improved version of this delicious recipe features in my cookbook QUICK KETO KITCHEN.
My name is Monya Kilian Palmer. If you loved this recipe, please follow and tag me @mkilianpalmer on Instagram so we can all see your lovely creations!
* * *
The links above will take you to Amazon UK. For USA and other countries, see the global Amazon links here: Keto Kitchen ; Lazy Keto Kitchen ; Budget Keto Kitchen ; Quick Keto Kitchen.
My name is Monya Kilian Palmer. If you loved this recipe, please follow and tag me @mkilianpalmer on Instagram so we can all see your lovely creations!
* * *
The links above will take you to Amazon UK. For USA and other countries, see the global Amazon links here: Keto Kitchen ; Lazy Keto Kitchen ; Budget Keto Kitchen ; Quick Keto Kitchen.
Nutrition
Calories: 520kcal | Carbohydrates: 8.4g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 39g