Have you ever paired herby lamb with orzo? This gorgeous dish is made with cannon of Welsh Lamb, rubbed with a homemade blend of Greek spices and pan fried to perfection.
Put the basil, parsley, rosemary, dill, marjoram, thyme, oregano, cinnamon, nutmeg, garlic, salt and pepper in a mortar or power blender.
Grind or blend to a powder.
Add 2 tbsp of olive oil to the herbs.
Stir to make a rub.
Cook the lamb
Place the lamb on a large plate.
Pour on the herb mixture onto the lamb.
Rub and it all over the lamb, evenly coating both sides.
Warm 1 tbsp olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan over a medium heat. Lay the lamb in the pan.
Fry for 10-20 minutes, turning occasionally. Cook closer to 10 minutes if you prefer your lamb a little pink, or for up to 20 if you like it well done. I cooked the lamb pictured for 12 minutes.
When the lamb is cooked, transfer it to a plate to rest for 5 minutes. Make sure the plate has a lip as the meat will release some juices.
Cook the orzo
While the lamb rests, put the orzo in a pan with a pinch of salt.
Cover with boiling water and cook for 5 minutes until al dente. Drain in a sieve and return to the pan.
Add the preserved lemons.
Add the parsley, a pinch of pepper.
Stir well, taste the orzo and if you feel it needs more salt, add a little of the preserved lemon brine.
To serve
Spoon the orzo onto a serving platter and spread out.
Cut the rested lamb into 1-2cm (1/2 inch) slices and arrange on top of the orzo.
Scatter with the parsley and tomatoes, drizzle with the olive oil and serve.
Video
Notes
If you have a probe thermometer, it can be particularly helpful when cooking meat to check when it's done. It's important to get the meat up to the right temperature so it is well-cooked and safe to eat, and to avoid overcooking, which may make the meat dry.For this lamb, you want an internal temperature of at least 60C (140F) for a medium cook, and 71C (160F) for well-done.Don't forget to give your thermometer probe a wash in hot soapy water after you've checked the meat, especially if you need to test the meat more than once.