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Wiri wiri lamb with Jerusalem artichokes and mint crumb

Wiri wiri lamb with Jerusalem artichokes and mint crumb

Rosy lamb rump and sweet Jerusalem artichokes with flashes of mint. There’s crunch, richness, and a bright herbal lift. Comforting, bold, and quietly impressive.

Prep: Overnight
Cook: Over 2 hours
Serves: Serves 4
Dietary: Dairy-free adaptable
By Nathaniel Mortley
From Saturday Kitchen Recipes


nutri score dThis wiri wiri lamb recipe lands in the middle ground nutritionally. Expect approximately 620 kcal per serving, with moderate fat from lamb and olive oil, balanced by fibre-rich Jerusalem artichokes and fresh herbs. Protein is high, sugars remain low, and carbohydrates are steady rather than spiky.

Equipment

Ingredients

For the lamb

  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 thumb fresh ginger
  • ½ Scotch bonnet or wiri wiri pepper
  • 1 tsp ground allspice
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 small handful flatleaf parsley
  • 1 tbsp runny honey
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 400g lamb rump steaks
  • To taste salt and black pepper

For the Jerusalem artichokes and extras

  • 1.15kg Jerusalem artichokes
  • 200g fresh mint leaves
  • 2 thick slices hard dough bread
  • 60g unsalted butter

Customise

  • Swap lamb rump for lamb loin if you want a leaner cut.
  • Replace wiri wiri pepper with red chilli for gentler heat.
  • Use parsley oil instead of mint oil if mint feels too bold.

Method

Marinade and marinating the lamb (10 minutes + at least 2 hours, overnight ideal)

  1. Blend the marinade. Put the rosemary, thyme leaves, garlic, ginger, Scotch bonnet or wiri wiri pepper, ground allspice, red wine vinegar, parsley, honey and olive oil into a blender. Blitz until completely smooth, then season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper so the lamb is properly seasoned all the way through.
  2. Reserve some for later. Spoon out 4 tablespoons of the marinade and set it aside. This will be used later to glaze the Jerusalem artichokes and tie the whole dish together.
  3. Coat the lamb. Rub the remaining marinade all over the lamb rumps, making sure every surface is covered. Place in a dish, cover, and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or ideally overnight for deeper flavour.
  4. Bring to room temperature. Take the lamb out of the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking so it cooks evenly and stays juicy.

Lamb jus (can be made ahead – about 90 minutes)

  1. Roast the bones and vegetables. Heat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Put the roasted lamb bones into a large roasting tray with the onion, carrot, tomato, garlic, thyme, rosemary, allspice berries and Scotch bonnet chilli. Roast until everything is deeply browned, as this colour equals flavour.
  2. Deglaze the tray. Transfer the tray to the hob over a high heat, pour in the white wine, and scrape up all the caramelised bits stuck to the base. Let the wine bubble and reduce slightly.
  3. Simmer and reduce. Add enough lamb stock to cover everything and simmer gently until the liquid reduces and turns glossy and rich.
  4. Finish the jus. Stir in the tomato ketchup, gravy browning and mint leaves. Balance the flavour with a little balsamic vinegar, then strain the jus and keep warm until serving.

Mint oil (make ahead – 15 minutes plus chilling)

  1. Blanch the mint. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Drop in the mint leaves for 10 seconds, then immediately refresh them in iced water to lock in the colour.
  2. Blend until vivid green. Squeeze the mint completely dry, then blend with the neutral oil and a pinch of salt until smooth and intensely green.
  3. Stabilise the colour. Pour the mixture into a saucepan and gently heat to 70–80C for 5–10 minutes. This helps keep that bright green colour.
  4. Strain and chill. Strain through muslin or a fine sieve without pressing. Leave to cool, then chill in the fridge. The oil will keep for up to one month.

Roast Jerusalem artichokes (overlaps with lamb cooking – 30 minutes)

  1. Prepare for roasting. Heat the oven to 195C/175C Fan/Gas 5. Toss the quartered Jerusalem artichokes with the reserved lamb marinade in a roasting tin.
  2. Roast until golden. Roast until caramelised, evenly golden, and soft all the way through, turning once if needed.

Jerusalem artichoke purée (can be done ahead – 45 minutes)

  1. Brown the butter. Heat the butter in a wide ovenproof pan until lightly browned and nutty. Add the artichokes and cook over a medium heat until lightly caramelised.
  2. Add aromatics. Add the thyme, crushed garlic and Scotch bonnet chilli, letting them gently perfume the butter.
  3. Cover and roast. Cover the artichokes with baking paper placed directly on top and roast at 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4 for 25–30 minutes.
  4. Finish and soften. Remove the paper, add the lemon quarters and enough stock or water to loosen slightly. Return to the oven until the artichokes are completely soft.
  5. Blend until silky. Blend until smooth, season well, then pass through a sieve for an ultra-silky purée. Keep warm or reheat gently.

Pickled artichokes (minimum 30 minutes)

  1. Make the pickle. Bring the sugar, white wine vinegar, 100ml water, allspice berries, ginger, garlic and thyme to the boil. Remove from the heat and add the mint leaves.
  2. Pickle the artichokes. Place the sliced artichokes into a bowl and carefully pour over the hot pickling liquid. Leave to pickle for at least 30 minutes.

Cook the lamb (20 minutes including resting)

  1. Render the fat slowly. Heat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Season the lamb lightly with salt. Place fat-side down in a cold, heavy-based ovenproof frying pan, then set over a low–medium heat and slowly render the fat for 8–10 minutes. Don’t rush this stage.
  2. Colour the flesh. Once the fat is deeply golden and caramelised, briefly colour the flesh side.
  3. Roast and rest. Transfer the lamb to a roasting tin and roast for 6–8 minutes, depending on thickness, until a thermometer reads 44–46C. Rest for 8–10 minutes so it finishes cooking to 48–50C and stays pink and juicy.

Mint crumb and serving (15 minutes)

  1. Make the crumb. Toss the bread with olive oil and roast until crisp and golden, about 15–20 minutes. While still hot, rub with the garlic clove.
  2. Blend and season. Blitz the bread into crumbs with a handful of pickled mint leaves, seasoning gradually until vibrant green and well balanced.
  3. Serve with confidence. Spoon the warm Jerusalem artichoke purée onto plates. Top with sliced lamb rump, roasted artichoke quarters and dried pickled slices. Drizzle lightly with mint oil, scatter over the mint crumb, and finish with the lamb jus.

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