Monday 17 February 2014

PESTO, LAMB & SWEET POTATO SALAD

I was rushing around the other morning trying to find an easy recipe to cook for Arabella, Pascal & that I hadn't blogged about, wasn't unhealthy or fattening and was easy - not a simple feat when I only have five minutes to spare!!

Consequently the recipe was a great success however it is now a week later and I still haven't blogged about it…..sometimes I do not know where time goes. It is now half term and we are in France for the week, I am actually super happy to be here away from the constant rain and grey - I have never known such bad weather in England and feel terrible for all the flood victims. I read somewhere that all this rain means a hot summer but I have a feeling that is wishful thinking!!

Anyway this recipe is a Fay Ripley one that I have made a few alterations to and is good for both winter and summer (if we ever get there)!

Ingredients for 4 people:

500g sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into bite size pieces
olive oil
200g green beans
500g lamb fillets
Fresh pesto (I bought a pot and it was about 150g)
A handful of baby plum or cherry tomatoes, chopped in half
A bag of baby spinach and rocket
4 finely chopped spring onions
75g pine kernels, toasted (roasted or dry fried but beware they go brown quickly)



Preheat the oven to 220 C / 200 C fan / gas mark 7. Put the the peeled and chopped sweet potato in a roasting tin or ceramic dish and drizzle with olive oil. Then put it in the oven for 30 minutes to roast.

Boil some water for the green beans as I find this always takes longer than I think.

Meanwhile fry or griddle your lamb fillets to taste, turning regularly. Fay says this takes about 15 minutes however it took me only 10.


While the lamb and sweet potatoes are cooking, cut up the spring onions and tomatoes.


Cook the green beans in the boiling water for just 3 minutes so they are crunchy, then drain and cool under running cold water.


Once the lamb is cooked, take it out the pan and wrap it in foil. You need to let it rest for a further 10 minutes.



I used this time to fry the pine kernels in the pan I had used for the lamb (I know it did have some oil in it but I couldn't be bothered to wash it up in between or use another one)!


Hopefully the lamb will be ready around the same time as the sweet potato give or take a few minutes (that is the beauty of this recipe, it doesn't matter if your timing is out). Slice the lamb into pieces.



Then mix all the ingredients together (including the salad) in a big bowl with the pot of pesto until all is covered.


Finally serve and enjoy - easy peasy!


We all loved it. I rarely cook with sweet potato, despite it being a superfood and loaded in vitamin A & C, potassium and calcium, so this is a great way to incorporate it into your diet. All the ingredients together compliment each other and taste delicious. If you are a vegetarian I am sure halloumi would work brilliantly instead of the lamb, I might even try it next time. I adore the pesto as a dressing as did Arabella, and although pesto pasta is her favourite (along with Pascal's carbonara), this comes a close second!

This is a great family supper but also would work well as a lunch or light supper with friends, as it is not difficult or time consuming….I would recommend giving it a go as I am sure everyone will like it!

No comments:

Post a Comment