Baked Lamb Meatballs in Tomato & Red Wine Sauce

Spaghetti and meatballs are a true Italian classic, the antithesis to intimidating food and utterly charming in their simplicity. I recently decided to take things one step further and quietly, so as not to offend all Italian forefathers before me, swop in lamb for beef. Well, as the meatballs quietly bubbled away in their tomato and red wine sauce, the whispers soon built up into a din and left us with a plateful of something that tasted like a kind of miracle. Gorgeous rich red-wine and tomato sauce coating plump herb-filled lamb meatballs over wholewheat spaghetti. Rob even ventured to give this a (very rare) whopping 9/10. ‘Nuf said.

Lamb Bolognese

I don’t know what it is, but I often find myself turning up the snob factor when it comes to thinking about minced meat… It could stem from getting home from school STARVING and my hunger being humbly greeted by cottage pie or meat balls. Nothing glam about either of those as far as I could see. (I think about this stuff, I really do). Until lately that is, when I’ve been giving the not an Italian staple for nothing old mince a second chance. It just didn’t seem right to leave it unattended and unloved in my books forever. Though if you know me at all by now, you’ll know that if I can try and swop in lamb for anything, I’ll do it. So here’s to a very simple but very bella Lamb Bolognaise… it tastes like the sum of its simple parts but about 100% better.

Lamb Chops with Pistachio & Olive Tapenade

Hey! Miss me?! Well I missed you while I was back in Zimbabwe for the last 10 days visiting friends and family and had to put the blogging to bed for a bit. However, I thought it only fair to give you something to chew on until I get back on top of things, so here’s what I whipped up shortly before going on holiday but haven’t had a chance to post until now.

Roast Lamb in Red Wine to write home about

So we all agree that in winter there is not much that beats a nice home-cooked roast lamb. (If you don’t then we can’t possibly be friends).  And given my penchant for all things wintery and roasted, it is only fitting that I investigate further the variations on this noble dish. (You’re welcome). So enter Aunty Sue. She is Rob’s (blonde, gorgeous, wild and hysterically funny) Aunt who lives on a stunning little farm outside Stellenbosch. And she’s a Silwood-trained chef. Yip, you bet we don’t need our arms twisted even a little bit when we crack the nod to a ‘Sunday lunch on the farm’. Sue is often admirably accompanied in the kitchen by Chris – her wise, unassuming, more pensive other half. Wine typically flows freely in their household, and good times are guaranteed for all.

Two Thumbs Up for Greek Lamb & Feta Burgers

I have been looking for an excuse to try these for ages. I am delighted we finally found one. This is real down to earth soul food that you can really sink your teeth into. Yum.

The recipe was inspired by my friend Barbs, who I consider a pukka queen in the kitchen, so you won’t be disappointed.

Our friends Sean and Tesni are currently living in Kenya and are in South Africa at the moment for the World Cup, and to introduce their perfect little daughter Talia to friends and family. They are also the friends who inspired this Camping-Proof Banana Pancakes Recipe from the Masai Mara last year. We were super excited that they came to visit last night and so we rustled these up in their honour.

Our Ultimate Lamb Curry

No repertoire of recipes is complete without the proverbial Lamb Curry….we are in the Cape after all, with some of the best Karoo lamb right on our back doorstep. And this one is particularly close to my heart given that it’s so easy to throw together and almost never fails to please. What you should try and do is get the lamb marinading in the yoghurt and half the spices the night before or at least the morning before – it takes just 5 minutes to assemble before you fly out the door for work.

I am also tempted to call this one idiot proof – but given my history with that term I shall refrain. (I do realise that I’ve planted the seed though).

Our favourite Lebanese Lamb Pasta

So this really is an old favourite, and I have my dear friend Elizabeth to thank for it. It’s budget friendly and super easy, and we used to cook it during exams when we were at the University of Cape Town together. A bowl of this goes down a treat as the key element to a delightful study break, or as a no-mess-no-fuss winter dinner with the proverbial glass of red wine as a more than suitable accompaniment. Oh, and I forgot to mention that Elizabeth is partly Lebanese – that’s where that comes in. So I guess you could say it’s adapted loosely from an old Lebanese family favourite (because no one cooks it quite like they do).