Lamb in Fresh Vine Leaves with Warm Cauliflower Salad

Recipe from Lyndey Milan’s Taste of Australia.  This brings some of the best of the Armidale region together, using award winning Milly Hill lamb back strap wrapped in vine leaves fresh from the vine at Peterson’s Winery and also poached in their wine.

Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
4 grape vine leaves
4 anchovies in oil
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 large red chilli, finely chopped
2 x 300g lamb backstrap
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup (250ml) white wine
2 cups (500ml) chicken stock

Cauliflower salad
1 tablespoon (20ml) olive oil
1/3 cup (55g) pitted kalamata olives, halved
2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
½ head (750g) large cauliflower
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves or Continental parsley leaves
½ cup (125ml) verjuice (optional)
30g fetta

1. Blanch vine leaves in hot water for a few minutes. Drain and refresh under cold water. Place on paper towel to remove excess moisture.
2. In a mortar and pestle or a small food processor, make a paste with anchovies, garlic, cumin, fennel, chilli and salt and pepper. Add one tablespoon olive oil and combine to form a paste.
3. Cut each back strap in half horizontally. Using a sharp knife, make a pocket along the long side of each half ending 2 cm from each end. Season inside the pockets and on the outside generously with salt and pepper. Spoon paste into the pocket and wrap a vine leaf around the middle to cover the pocket. Secure vine leaf around lamb with kitchen string.
4. Place wine and stock in a large saucepan or deep frying pan, large enough to hold the lamb in a single layer. Top up with extra water if necessary and bring to the boil. Lower heat to a simmer and lower in lamb parcels. Poach lamb gently for 6 minutes, turning over once halfway through cooking. Remove from heat and allow to rest in poaching liquid for 5-10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat. Add olives and capers and fry for two minutes. Slice cauliflower into large slices approx 0.5cm thick.  Add to the pan with oregano and season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, for 10 minutes or until golden and slightly softened. When almost cooked, add verjuice (if available) and reduce.
6. To serve, remove string from lamb and cut on the diagonal. Divide cauliflower salad among plates, crumble over fetta and serve beside carved lamb.

This recipe comes from the TV series (and now cookbook), Lyndey Milan’s Taste of Australia. Buy your copy of the accompanying cookbook to the TV series online by clicking here!