Balsamic Glazed Lamb Salad Recipe

Servings: 5-6
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes

This dish is a wonderful example of a beautiful array of flavors and textures. If you can’t find pomegranates, use chopped ripe strawberries instead; they go wonderfully with the balsamic vinegar. Avocado would also be a fresh and delicious addition to this salad.

Ingredients:

For the Lamb:

3 New Zealand grass-fed lamb rumps (about 7 oz each), trimmed of any silver skin (Tip: look for the Taste Pure Nature Logo)
Oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Glaze:

1 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 stick fresh rosemary leaves, roughly chopped
½ teaspoon salt

For the Salad:

3 cups baby spinach leaves
Seeds from 1 pomegranate
1 bunch asparagus, ends snapped off and chopped into thirds
1 red onion, thinly sliced
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled, chopped and steamed or roasted
7 oz halloumi cheese, sliced then cut into triangles
1 box cherry tomatoes, halved
Oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Vinaigrette:

¼ cup oil
2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 cup basil leaves, very finely chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 410° F.

For the Glaze:

2. Add all the glaze ingredients to a small saucepan and simmer to reduce by half (about 15 minutes). Set aside to cool down and slightly thicken.

For the Lamb:

3. Pat the lamb rumps dry, rub with a little oil and season with salt and pepper.
4. Heat a frying pan or BBQ over a high heat and sear the lamb for a couple of minutes to brown all over. If you leave the fat on, leave it a little longer on that side to render and get crispy.
5. Place the lamb on a plate and coat all over with the balsamic glaze.
6. Transfer to an oven dish lined with tinfoil, spoon a little more balsamic glaze over top and finish cooking in the oven for 12-15 minutes, depending on how you like it done. Remove from the oven, spoon a little more glaze over top, cover loosely with foil and rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing thinly across the grain.

For the Salad:

7. Add a dash of oil to a frying pan and bring to a high heat. Fry the cooked sweet potato pieces for a few minutes until golden.
8. Set aside, add the asparagus to the pan with another dash of oil and a squeeze of lemon juice, and cook until tender.
9. Season with salt and pepper as required.
10. Cook the halloumi in the pan before serving. Brush the slices with a little oil and fry over medium-high heat for a minute or two each side until crispy and golden.

For the Vinaigrette:

11. Whisk the ingredients together until combined. Season with salt and pepper as required.

To Serve:

12. Toss the lamb with the baby spinach, pomegranate seeds, asparagus, red onion, sweet potato, tomatoes and half the nuts in a bowl with half the vinaigrette.
13. Arrange on plates or a platter and add the halloumi. Sprinkle with toasted nuts and drizzle with a little more vinaigrette or balsamic glaze. Season with salt and pepper before serving.