Tag-Archive for » Mint «
This is so quick and easy to throw together it makes the perfect mid week no fuss meal. I use pancetta instead of bacon as I prefer it and find it imparts more flavour to the dish. I also added extra mint and lots of parmesan cheese both in the dish and grated over the top, just our preference. If you would like to read more reviews of this recipe please click here.
Ingredients
455g Farfalle pasta (bowtie pasta)
1 Egg
180ml Double cream
Sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper
12 Slices pancetta or smoked streaky bacon, roughly sliced
1 Cup fresh peas or frozen peas
2 Sprigs fresh mint, leaves picked, finely chopped
Freshly grated parmesan cheese
Method
1. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, add the farfalle, and cook according to the packet instructions.
2. Whisk the egg in a bowl with the cream, salt and pepper.
3. Put the pancetta or bacon into a second pan and cook until crispy and golden.
4. When the farfalle is nearly cooked, add the peas for the last minute and a half. This way they will burst in your mouth and be lovely and sweet.
5. When cooked, drain in a colander, saving a little of the cooking water.
6. Add the pasta to the pancetta and stir in most of the mint, finely sliced – if the pan isn’t big enough, mix it all together in a large warmed bowl.
7. Now add the egg and cream mix to the pasta. What’s important here is that you add it while the pasta is still hot. This way, the residual heat of the pasta will cook the eggs, but not so that they resemble scrambled eggs.
8. The pasta will actually cook the egg enough to give you a silky smooth sauce.
9. Toss together and loosen with a little of the reserved cooking water if necessary.
10. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with the Parmesan and the rest of the mint leaves, and serve as soon as possible.
All photos taken by me unless otherwise stated.
You can make this with racks of lamb as I usually do, but they had already cut them into chops and they were on special this way so I bought them chopped. I prefer to make as a whole rack but that is just personal preference. They were just as good done this way and quicker too as I just grilled them either side real quick, rather than bake in an oven for 25-30 Min’s as I do with a rack. Also as I was pressed for time I just made this with a sachet of bearnaise sauce, but I do usually make a real bearnaise with egg yolk and butter it just takes longer so take your pick. If like me your in a hurry the store bought sachet works fine and still tastes great accompanied with the lamb.
Ingredients
2 Racks lamb (8 chops each) or 16 Individual lamb chops
olive oil
salt and pepper to season
Mint Bearnaise Sauce
100ml White wine vinegar
1 Shallot, chopped roughly
8 Black peppercorns
1 Sachet store bought bearnaise
1/2 Cup firmly packed fresh mint leaves
If you want to make your own bearnaise you will need 4 large egg yolks and 250g butter and you will have to do that in a double saucepan over 
water, adding the strained vinegar mix, beat in egg yolks and then add cooled melted butter, stirring until mixture thickens.
Method
1. Season chops or racks with salt and pepper, cook chops, either on a lightly oiled grill plate, under the grill, on the BBQ or Pan fry until browned and cooked as desired.
2. For lamb racks season with salt and pepper, place on a lightly oiled oven proof dish and bake in pre-heated oven 180 degrees Celsius for 25-30 Min’s or until cooked as desired.
For the Sauce
1. Place vinegar, shallot, peppercorns in a saucepan and bring to the boil, boil rapidly until reduced by half, strain, set to one side.
2. Prepare bearnaise according to packet directions remembering that you will still have the extra 50ml of liquid to add.
3. Once sauce is thick add vinegar and mint, blend or process mint until well combined. (I use a bar mix for this.) Serve sauce over lamb chops
I served mine with spinach in garlic and butter with bacon and mushrooms. I served the lamb atop cauliflower mash and drizzled sauce over.
All photos taken by me unless otherwise stated.
