It’s always nice to take a midweek meal of meat & potatoes and ramp it up a notch or two and this emmalicious concoction was no exception.  You may not think it looks too pretty but what it lacked in appearance it made up for in flavour.  Tender, juicy lamb rump steaks marinated in red wine, balsamic and an abundance of herbs sitting on top a bed of crunchy, oven baked potatoes with a twist.  Want to know what the twist is?  Well, you had better read on!

Prep time:  20 Minutes          Cooking time:   45 Minutes           $$ Low – Medium Budget

Serves 4

8 small lamb rump steaks

1/4 cup of olive oil

1/2 cup of red wine

1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar

1 tbs of honey

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

2 sprigs of rosemary, leaves removed and stalks discarded

12 thyme sprigs, leaves removed stalks discarded

Sea salt and cracked black pepper

For the Provencal Potatoes:

4 large red desiree potatoes

2 tbs of baby capers

1 cup of pitted kalamata olives, halved

6 thyme sprigs, leaves removed

1 rosemary sprig, leaves removed

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

2 tbs of red wine vinegar

2 tbs of chopped fresh parsley

Sea salt and cracked pepper

A crisp green salad to serve……

In a large jug combine the olive oil, red wine, balsamic vinegar and honey.  Give it 40 seconds in the microwave to dissolve the honey.  Arrange the lamb rumps in a shallow dish and scatter over the garlic, rosemary, thyme and season well with sea salt and cracked pepper.  Pour over the balsamic mixture and have a bit of a fiddle with it, just to make sure everything is covered.  Cover tightly with a lid or cling wrap and marinate in the fridge for at least an hour but the longer the better.

Pre heat the oven to 200°C and bring the potatoes to the boil in a large pot of salted water.  Boil for 10-15 minutes or until just cooked, depending on the size of the spud.  Drain and arrange the potatoes on a lined baking tray and squash each potato with a masher or the palm of your hand if they are not too hot.  In a small bowl combine the capers, olives, rosemary, thyme, extra virgin olive oil and vinegar.  Mix well and divide the mixture over the top of each potato.  Drizzle with a little extra oil and season with sea salt and pepper.  Bake for 30 minutes or until golden and crispy.

Drain the marinade off the lamb rumps into a small saucepan.  Bring the mixture to a low simmer and allow to reduce by at least half for approximately 15 minutes.

Pre heat the BBQ grill to nice and hot and cook the lamb rumps for approximately 4 minutes either side for medium rare.  Remove from the grill and allow to rest for a few minutes before slicing in half diagonally.

To serve sprinkle half the parsley over the top of the potatoes before  placing a potato on the centre of each plate.  Top with 2 whole (four halves)  lamb rumps.  Spoon over the reduced sauce and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of the remaining parsley. Bon appetite`