Grilled New Zealand Lamb Neck Fillet Medallions
- Serves:
- 4
- Preparation time:
- 20 mins
- Cooking time:
- 6 mins
Ingredients
- 4 New Zealand Lamb neck fillets
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 red onion, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
- 4-5 tomatoes
- 12 black olives, pitted then roughly chopped
- 12 mint leaves, shredded
- 1 lemon, finely grate the zest and juice it
- 100g feta, cut into small dice
- 2 handfuls māche salad leaves (or any other salad greens)
- 50g toasted almonds, coarsely chopped
Method
1. Cut the lamb neck into 2cm thick medallions then using a meat hammer bash them to give you 1cm thick medallions. Place in a bowl and toss with ½ tablespoon olive oil, a little salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Cover the bowl and leave to come to room temperature for 20 minutes.
2. In a bowl rub 1 teaspoon salt into the onion between your fingers - this helps cure and soften it. Leave for 20 minutes.
3. Remove the core from the tomatoes and cut into small dice. Mix with the remaining olive oil, the olives, mint, lemon zest and ½ the lemon juice.
4. Heat up a heavy pan or skillet - or you can cook the lamb over a barbecue or under a grill. Cook the lamb for 2 ½ minutes on each side over a moderate to high heat. This will give you medium cooked lamb - which is good for lamb neck - it doesn't taste quite so delicious if cooked rare. Drizzle the remaining lemon juice over the lamb and place covered on a plate in a warm place to rest for 2 minutes.
5. While the lamb is cooking, rinse the onion under cold running water for 30 seconds, then squeeze excess water out and add to the tomato salsa with the feta and toss it all together.
To serve:
Toss the māche with the almonds and divide amongst 4 plates. Sit the lamb medallions on top, in the centre, then spoon the salsa on top.
