I think you are going to find it a bit ridiculous, just how excited I get by a cracking tray bake. They have become my new best friend!! I just love that you can whack some ingredients on a lined tray (minimal washing up), sprinkle over a few aromatics (flavour scale winner), bung it in a hot oven (Jamie Oliver impersonation) and you have a totally awesome meal! Ok, I did steam a bit of Broccolini and made a Mint, Rocket & Almond Pesto but what else would you do while it’s in the oven for 30 minutes? There is only so many sips of wine we are allowed these days while cooking so we may as well get busy building the flavour scale, right? You will not be sorry you cooked this one, it is perfection on a plate.
Prep time: 15 Minutes
Cooking time: 30 Minutes
$$ Medium Budget
Serves 4
600-700gm of mini lamb rumps (I always get them at Coles), seasoned with oil, salt and pepper
4 wedges of Jap pumpkin, skin on, seeds removed (approximately 100gm each)
4 large portobello mushrooms
1 large red onion, roots left intact, peeled, halved and cut into wedges
1 bulb of garlic, pulled apart and cloves flattened with the flat of your knife
12 truss tomatoes
12 thyme sprigs
2 sprigs of rosemary, leaves removed, stalks discarded
1 tsp of chilli flakes
1 tsp of dried oregano
Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
Balsamic vinegar (good quality) for drizzling
12 broccolini stems, bottoms trimmed
Sea salt and cracked pepper
For the Pesto:
1 cup of mint leaves
A couple of large handfuls of baby rocket
1/3 cup of roasted almonds
1/4 cup of grated parmesan
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and pepper
Pre heat the oven to 200°C
Place the pumpkin, mushrooms, red onion and garlic cloves on a large baking tray. I use my grill tray but if you don’t have a large one you can use two smaller ones and just distribute the ingredients evenly. Scatter over the thyme and rosemary, drizzle over the extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle over the chilli flakes and a good seasoning of salt and pepper. Toss everything a little so it looks evenly coated and bake in the oven on a high shelf for 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and make a little room on the tray for the lamb rumps. Place the tray back in the oven and bake for a further 10 minutes before removing again to place the tomatoes on the tray. Drizzle over a little more oil and the balsamic vinegar and pop the tray back in the oven for a further 10 minutes. Once the tray has been in the oven for a total of 30 minutes, remove from the oven and allow to rest for a few minutes before slicing the lamb. It should be medium, if you like it more well done, just keep it in the oven for an extra 5-10 minutes.
While the tray is in the oven, place the mint, rocket, almonds, lemon, parmesan and olive oil in a food processor and season with salt and pepper. Blitz until you have a nice fine paste. Have a taste and adjust any seasoning if you think it is necessary.
Steam or blanch your broccolini until just tender and a beautiful bright green in colour.
To serve the tray bake, divide the steamed broccolini between four serving plates. Top with the contents of the tray bake, scattering it around in a haphazard fashion so it looks all rustic and colourful (just like the photo). Place the sliced meat on top with a good dollop of pesto and then drizzle over any remaining tray juices. You can drizzle over a little more Balsamic and olive Oil if you wish.