Broccoli and Charred Lemon Salad with Feta and Dukkah Crusted Lamb
This is one of our favourite ways to prepare a rack of lamb, it's impressive and surprisingly easy to make - served with a charred broccoli salad full of fresh herbs.
Bring the lamb to room temp, this allows even cooking of the meat. If you don’t, you run the risk of the outside being overcooked while the inside is still raw.
Searing the lamb before roasting ensures beautiful browning, rendering of fat and an added depth of flavour.
To keep the crumb intact, use your hands to hold it gently in place, use a very sharp knife and cut 2 or 3 cutlets rather than 1 at a time.
Shortcuts
Charring the cut lemons intensifies the flavour, but if you are short on time you can simply use lemon juice without charring the lemon.
Roast the broccoli instead of frying. Pop into the oven at the same time as the lamb.
Use a store-bought dukkah. Swap almonds, sesame, cumin and coriander seeds for 2 - 4 Tbsp of dukkha depending on the size of your lamb rack.
Preheat the oven to 200˚C and place the rack in the centre of the oven.
Season the lamb rack with salt and pepper.
Add olive oil to a large pan over high heat. Once hot, sear the lamb rack on each side for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown. Pop onto a plate and allow the lamb to cool for 5 minutes.
While the lamb is cooling, prepare the dukkah crust. Add almonds, sesame, cumin and coriander seeds to a blender or mortar and pestle; blend until a rough crumb texture forms. Season the dukkah with salt and pepper.
Use your hands to rub the cooled lamb rack with Dijon mustard, then with dry hands, press the dukkah into the Dijon mustard-covered lamb.
Pop the lamb onto a roasting tray and into the hot oven; roast for 20-25 minutes for medium-rare lamb (depending on the thickness of your rack). Rest for 5 minutes before carving.
While the lamb is cooking, prepare the salad. Start by charring the lemons for the salad dressing. Heat a large fry pan over high heat, then add the lemon halves cut side down. Cook for 4 minutes or until charred and softened. Remove from the pan and allow to cool.
In the same pan (clean the pan if required) over medium-high heat, add a knob of butter and a drizzle of oil. Add the chopped broccoli and season with salt; cook for 4-5 minutes or until tender and charred in places(you may have to do this in two batches). Add the cooked broccoli to a large bowl, and allow to cool slightly before adding the feta, almonds, mint and parsley.
To make the dressing, squeeze the juice from the charred lemon into a bowl, then add the olive oil, dijon mustard, maple syrup, salt and pepper; stir to combine. Pour the dressing over the broccoli and toss well.
Serve the broccoli salad alongside the lamb rack.
VARIATIONS
Vegetables
Add extra greens to the salad! Like pan-fried green beans, kale, zucchini, peas, or a handful of spinach or rocket.
Swap mint and parsley for coriander and/or dill.
Protein
For a vegetarian option, omit the lamb and add 1 cup of quinoa or brown rice (cooked as per the packet instructions), a 400g tin of chickpeas (drained and rinsed) and 1 avocado (diced). Make the dukkah following this recipe. Sprinkle over 3 Tbsp over the salad.
Swap lamb for salmon. Rub the salmon fillets with dijon mustard, then press the dukkah into the salmon. Pop into the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes (time will vary depending on the thickness of the fillet).
