Lamb Ratatouille Food

SLOW COOKER RATATOUILLE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion for 8 mins until translucent. Add the garlic and fry for 1 min. Turn the heat to medium-high, add the aubergines and fry for 5 mins until golden. Stir in the courgettes and peppers and fry for 5 mins more until slightly soft. Add the tomato purée, fresh tomatoes, herbs, canned tomatoes, vinegar, sugar and 1 tsp salt and bring to the boil.
• Transfer to the slow cooker and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until everything is soft and the sauce has thickened. Season, scatter over some extra basil, and serve with sourdough, if you like.

LAMB RATATOUILLE

Steps:

• Set rice seasoning packet aside. In a large skillet, saute the rice mix in butter until browned. Stir in water and contents of seasoning packet; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. , Meanwhile, in another skillet, saute vegetables in oil until crisp-tender. Add lamb and vegetables to the rice. Cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink and rice is tender.

ROASTED RACK OF LAMB WITH RATATOUILLE AND A TARRAGON LAMB JUS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
• Separately, saute the green zucchini, yellow zucchini, eggplant, yellow bell peppers and red bell peppers, in a hot pan with olive oil for 2 minutes, mixing often. Combine the vegetables in a bowl. Heat a large saucepot. Sweat the garlic and onions in olive oil. Add tomatoes and tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes over moderate heat. Add the rest of the pre-cooked vegetables and mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and cook for about 10 minutes on low heat, or until just a slight crunch remains in the vegetables. Keep warm.
• Heat a large saute pan. Season the lamb racks with salt and pepper. Add olive oil to the hot pan and sear the lamb racks on each side for 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer lamb to a roasting pan and place in the oven. Cooking time is 10 minutes for rare, 13 for medium rare, 16 for medium and 20 minutes for well done.
• Remove lamb and let rest for at least 10 minutes, but no longer than 15 minutes. While lamb is cooking, heat stock to a boil and add 2 tablespoons butter. Whisk until butter has disappeared. Add tarragon.
• Heat 6 plates. Reheat ratatouille. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil and chopped basil and parsley. In the center of the plates, put a nice sized spoon of ratatouille. Slice the lamb and arrange 3 lamb chops around the vegetables and circle with the sauce.

SADDLE OF LAMB STUFFED WITH RATATOUILLE

Steps:

• First make the ratatouille. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion, peppers, aubergine and courgette. Season with salt and pepper, then sizzle for 10 mins, tossing occasionally. Add the tomatoes, garlic, basil and tomato purée, plus a drop more oil if the pan is dry. Sprinkle over the sugar, add the vinegar and continue to cook for 5 mins more. Tip into a bowl and leave to cool slightly.
• Open out the saddle of lamb and remove the 2 small, loose fillets of meat. Make a cut into each fillet, but do not completely cut them in two. Open them up and flatten them out, then set aside.
• Place the saddle on a board, skin-side down, and season with salt and pepper. Spoon about one-quarter of the ratatouille down the gap in the centre between the main fillets of meat, then lay the 2 flattened smaller fillets over the ratatouille.
• Lift one of the flaps up and over the meat and ratatouille, then repeat with the other flap to make a neatly packaged joint. Place the joint, flap-side down, on the board ready to be tied.
• Using a good 3m length of butcher's string, tie the meat around the width twice. Secure with a knot but do not trim. Use the long piece of string to make a loop, then pull it over the lamb like a lasso. Pull to secure, but not too tightly. Repeat 6 times at even intervals along the joint. Flip the joint over and weave the string through the loops on the bottom of the joint. Tie the string and trim with scissors. You are now ready to roast your lamb.
• Heat oven to 240C/220C fan/gas 9. Put the lamb in a roasting dish and drizzle with oil. Season generously, then roast, undisturbed, for 20 mins. Lower oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and continue to roast for 40 mins. Remove the lamb and leave to rest for 30 mins.
• Cut off the string, pour the roasting juices into a bowl, then remove the lamb to a board. Spoon off all the fat and, if needed, reheat the juices in a pan. If the remaining ratatouille is cold, reheat in the microwave. Dress the salad in a drizzle more oil and plate up.
• Neatly carve the lamb into slices about 3cm thick. Carefully lift the slices and place onto warmed plates. Use a couple of tablespoons to shape 2 quenelles of ratatouille and place them next to the lamb. Pile a few dressed salad leaves between the lamb and ratatouille. Serve straight away with the roasting juices on the side.