- The Lamb Rub:
- ● 2 whole lamb bellies
- ● 50g Cajun spices
- ● 10g smoked paprika
- ● 10g caster sugar
- ● 8g salt
- ● 20g ras el hanout
- ● 5g chilli powder
- The Yoghurt Dressing:
- ● 150g natural yoghurt
- ● 1tsp mustard seeds (soaked in white wine vinegar overnight)
- ● 1 tsp chopped dill
- ● 1 tsp chopped chives
- ● 1 tsp wasabi paste
- ● 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- The Cucumber Pickle:
- ● 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
- ● 150ml white wine vinegar
- ● 3 green chillies roughly chopped
- ● 1 clove garlic
- ● 2 fresh dill stalks
- BBQ Sauce:
- ● reserved cooking juices
- ● good quality bbq sauce
- To Garnish:
- ● 1 bunch of fresh radishes
- ● micro coriander or coriander leaves
- ● chopped chives
- ● good quality bbq sauce for glazing
BBQ lamb belly with chilli pickled cucumber & mustard yoghurt by Chris Finnigan
Lamb recipes tend to be exceptionally varied, with meals that offer classic comfort food as well as dishes that boast a more delicate, refined flavour. Take a look at the BBQ lamb belly with chilli pickled cucumber & mustard yoghurt by Chris Finnigan recipe below as tried and tested by our professional chefs. By Chris Finnigan, Head Chef of Lane 7,in association with Good fellows. This dish is a huge hit at Lane 7 and will stand out at any dinner party or barbeque. Visually it's outstanding and it definitely packs a big punch of flavour. This taste-bud-tickling dish is designed to be prepared a day in advance so you can kick back and enjoy a beer before your guests arrive. I recommend speaking to your local butcher and asking him to reserve you two whole lamb laps (belly) untrimmed, and bone in. Feel free to tweak the recipe to suit your palette; perhaps try replacing the ras el hanout with curry powder for an unusual twist. If ras el hanout is not on your spice rack, why not try making your own? Enjoy! Images by Lee Dobson photography
Ingredients
Method
1. Add the Cajun spice mix, ras el hanout, smoked paprika, caster sugar, salt and chilli powder into a bowl and mix together.
2. Place the untrimmed lamb belly into a roasting dish and rub both sides of each lamb belly with the spice mix, any excess can be stored in an airtight jar and used on other meats in the future.
3. Lay the rubbed lamb bellies side by side in the roasting dish and pour one and a half pints of water into the bottom of the tray. Cover over tightly with cling film. After ensuring there are no air-holes, cover again with tin foil and place in the oven for 3 hours on 180c.
4. Using a sharp peeler, remove the green skin from the cucumber and discard. Using a mandolin or a sharp knife, slice the cucumber thinly and place on a tray in the freezer.
5. Into a saucepan, add the brown sugar, white wine vinegar, dill stalks, garlic and roughly chopped green chillies. Bring to the boil then remove from the heat and leave to cool.
6. Combine the wasabi paste, Dijon mustard with 1 spoon of yoghurt and mix to a smooth paste. Make sure there are no wasabi lumps! Add the remaining yoghurt, soaked mustard seeds (drained) chopped dill and chives and mix thoroughly. Store in a clean container with a lid on in the refrigerator until the following day.
7. Once the cucumber is frozen, remove from the freezer and leave on a dry, clean kitchen towel. Once defrosted, pat the cucumber with the towel to remove as much water as possible. (Freezing the cucumber and then defrosting it afterwards reduces the water content, thus allowing a stronger pickled-flavour).
8. When the vinegar is cool, pass the vinegar through a sieve. Reserve the vinegar and place in a container with the defrosted cucumber. Add freshly chopped dill, and refrigerate overnight.
9. Once the lamb belly is cooked, remove from the oven and uncover. Pour the juices into a small sauce pan. Once cooled; firm up the lamb by refrigerating overnight.
10.To make the lamb belly glaze, reduce the reserved cooking juices by half and add some good quality bbq sauce to thicken. Once cooled, pour into a sealed container and pop in the fridge.
To serve:
Get the barbeque nice and hot, ensuring the coals are golden and ready to cook on. Remove the lamb belly from the fridge and slice down the bones to portion into ribs.
Using a mandolin or sharp knife, thinly slice some radishes and place in cup of ice water to keep them crisp and fresh until needed.
Place the lamb belly on the bbq and close the lid.
Ensure you have left enough room for the bbq to breath. Leave to smoke gently for 3-4 minutes. Turnover and repeat.
Once the lamb is piping hot and charred, begin generously applying the bbq glaze with a pastry brush until the lamb is charred and sticky
To assemble the dish, drizzle the mustard dressing around the bottom of a serving tray, plate or board, then lay the glazed lamb belly on top.
Sprinkle with micro coriander, radish and the pickled cucumber. Any additional glaze can be served with a brush for you and your party to slap a bit extra on if required.
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