Ingredients
3 tbsp za'atar
1 tbsp sumac
1 cup olive oil
4 lamb backstraps, trimmed
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Skordalia
3 bulbs garlic
800g desiree potatoes, peeled, cut into 3cm dice
3 tbsp almond meal
1 tbsp boiling water
5 tbsp good-quality extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
Method
Combine za'atar, sumac and oil, and mix to a paste.
Place lamb in bowl, add paste and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 150°C.
For the skordalia, wrap the garlic bulbs separately in foil and roast for 20-30 minutes until garlic is very soft. Cut each bulb in half crosswise and squeeze out garlic into a bowl, then mash with a fork until puréed.
Steam potato until very tender and pass through a mouli or ricer into a large bowl.
Stir in the garlic purée, almond meal and water. Slowly add the olive oil in a stream until incorporated. Add the lemon juice and season to taste.
Remove lamb from refrigerator and bring up to room temperature. Season well before pan-frying or char-gilling over medium to high heat for 5-8 minutes, or until done to your liking. Remove from pan and rest for 5-10 minutes.
Serve with skordalia on the side.
HOT TIPS
• Serve the lamb with tabouli (as pictured, right) for a refreshing accompaniment.
• Za'atar is a Middle-Eastern herb-and-spice mix consisting mainly of dried oregano, salt and sesame seeds. It's great in crusts and marinades, and fantastic with yoghurt as a dip for bread.
• Sumac is a red berry that, when ground, has a pleasing lemony taste. It also adds great colour.
• The skordalia is great with seafood, and I also love it on a slice of good-quality sourdough bread.
SOMETHING TO DRINK
Portuguese red blend
2009 Casa Santos Lima Quinta Das Setencostas (about $17) comes from the Alenquer region, just north of Lisbon in Portugal. A wild mix of native red Portuguese varieties, it's bold and rich with dusty fine tannins - perfect with the lamb and skordalia.
Photography by William Meppem. Styling by Hannah Meppem. Food preparation by Kirsten Jenkins.
