Dukkah Crusted Lamb with Coriander Pesto
By Peter G • Dec 7th, 2007 • Category: Recipes
Dukkah Crusted Lamb
A friend noted the other day that I had been cooking a fair few salads here on my blog. He said it would be good if I could do some more meals with “bite”. I interpreted that as meaning he wanted some meals that were a little more “filling”. So I gave into my caveman instincts and decided to whip a meal fit for any carnivore. With a little flair of course! I had actually been craving lamb since my return from Greece. A quick visit to the local butchers had netted me some beautiful organic lamb fillets. Another visit to the deli and I noticed some freshly prepared dukkah for sale. “Great flavours” I thought. The lamb and the dukkah were a marriage made in heaven. Dukkah is that exotic Middle Eastern blend of ground hazelnuts, toasted sesame seeds, ground cumin and coriander. Traditionally served with bread and olive oil, it’s quite versatile and can be used to flavour just about anything. I love its simplicity versatility.
When I got home I brainstormed and worked out this great quick recipe. The coriander or cilantro pesto was a last minute inclusion and added another dimension to the dish. Very simple, very quick and very tasty. I drizzled some extra virgin olive oil over the lamb and then sprinkled a liberal amount of the dukkah over it. I massaged the dukkah into the lamb making sure it was coated evenly. After letting it rest and marinate in the fridge for half an hour I threw it into a hot pan and seared it on all sides. I then placed the pan (with a stainless steel handle…not a plastic one!) into an oven that had been preheating at 200 deg C. I let it “bake” or cook for about 10 mins. Once it was out I placed onto another plate, covered it in foil and let it rest for about 5 mins. It’s very important to let the meat rest as this allows it to maintain its juiciness and tenderness. Once I was ready to serve it, I thought it looked kind of naked. It was screaming for something else. So out came the coriander or cilantro to US folks and bang! Another marriage was born! I placed a bunch of coriander leaves and stems into a food processor, added some whole ground roasted almonds, a squeeze of half a lime, a good amount of extra virgin olive oil and some salt and pepper for seasoning. The “pesto” or salsa was just what the lamb needed. Even I was impressed!
Lamb and coriander pesto
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Peter G is a passionate foodie of Greek descent living in Australia. You'll usually find him cooking up a storm in the kitchen and photographing all his exploits.
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