Never fear, I have returned.

I cooked recipe #47 a few weeks ago and yes I have been extremely lazy, apologies to my faithful readers. 

Moroccan Lamb with couscous.

First things first. I hate cooked fruit especially in savoury things. I’d have to say that its one of the only things I really hate when it comes to food! This recipe has apricots in it. (Gag) EW! They were evicted from the recipe.

    I chopped the onions, tomatoes, chilli and parsley as Jamie asks. Next was to heat oil in a large pan cook onions and garlic till tender. Add 2 tsp of cumin, pepper and salt. Next add tomatoes, parsley, pine nuts and chickpeas. Cook for about 5 min.

    Meanwhile cut Lamb; I used lamb back-strap, into 2.5cm pieces. Season with salt, pepper and a sprinkling of ground cumin. Put a pan on high heat and cook lamb for about 2-3 min on each side. My Lamb was still a little frozen so it didn’t go as crispy as what Jamie’s looked like.

    I had Julia Child’s voice going through my head. (Well actually Meryl Streep’s voice) telling me that “wet meat does not brown properly” and she’s right! My lamb cooked in a puddle of water that came out of the lamb during the cooking. It did not brown nicely and I overcooked it waiting for the couscous to cook which ended up being a big bowl of glug.

     Yes Glug.

What is Glug? It is couscous that does not separate and sticks together as one big disgusting patty. How can you stuff up couscous?? I have no idea what I did wrong. Every time I cook couscous not following a recipe it works, when I use a recipe it glugs. If someone knows what I might have done wrong please comment and let me know because I failed at making it this time.

    You are meant to squash the sauce with the back of a spoon and add a tbs of balsamic vinegar before serving to make it saucier. It was nice though but not enough chilli.

    All I kept thinking was that if Pete and Manu were in my kitchen last night I would have been so embarrassed. Overcooked Lamb and Glug.

FAIL.

Oops i did it again...

Dinner tonight was Griddled lamb chops with chunky salsa, best new potato's and salad with yoghurt dressing. Recipe's #21,22, and 23.


    Lets start with the chops. Jamie asks you to cut your tomatoes in half, deseed your chilli and pepper, cut your chilli in half and your pepper in quarters. Sounds easy enough don't you think... well not to me. I deseeded the chilli's and diced them. Next thing Jamie asks is to put your fingers in your mouth after chopping the chilli's... no wait. Thats just me who does that.
    Drizzle lamb with olive oil and season. Place upright on a hot griddle pan and add veggies cut side down. Cook for 4-5 min turning in between.
   Meanwhile the potatoes should be boiling as they take 15 min. While everything is left cooking, Chop salad. Warning: Do not try hold cucumber and knife in same hand and unwrap cucumber with the other hand. You will cut your self on very sharp knife. Make dressing (yoghurt, white wine vinegar, olive oil, pepper and salt in a jam jar.) 
    Once the potato's are cooked and the lamb is also cooked and the veggies are tender and juicy turn everything off. Add butter, petter salt and chopped min to the potatoes and serve. Chop basil, the cooked pepper, tomato and chilli (eh! one step ahead of you Jamie)  into a chunky salsa and add a dash of red wine vinegar, olive oil, pepper and salt. Warning: Do not try and pick up the salsa with your fingers and move it to a bowl. This will burn your finger and make them sting for hours after.


Serve chops with salsa on top and potatoes in a bowl for people to serve them selves. Salad is great after as a refreshing finish. It was yum! Mum even liked the dressing better then hers... but I have to disagree. Nothing can beat Mum's dressing.