Garlic Infused Lamb Back Strap and Lamb Gravy

The isolation bells are still ringing and I am dying to head out to a fancy restaurant in a cute dress! In lieu of social distancing I have bought the 5 star meals to my own kitchen and created this decadent garlic infused lamb with of course, a rich, smooth gravy to go with it.

This lamb is full of flavour and can be made ahead of time or on the spot, and you certainly don't need to use a back strap if you prefer a cheaper cut - I think this would work great with a chop or loin, just marinade for a little longer to tenderise the meat. I cook this on a cast iron griddle, but you can use a pan or preferably a barbecue so you get the gorgeous char markings.

This recipe also includes my coveted gravy recipe, which can be used in the pan of ANY meat you've cooked, with ANY herbs or seasonings you've used to cook the meat in. Below is a very basic guide to the little extras I like to put in my gravy, depending on the meat I'm cooking:

• Lamb - Garlic and Rosemary

• Beef - Red Onion and Garlic

• Chicken - Garlic, Brown Onion, and Thyme

Garlic Infused Lamb Back Strap:

Ingredients: Serves 4

• 4 Lamb Back Straps

• 4-6 Cloves of Garlic, minced

• 4 Sprigs Rosemary, finely chopped

• 1/2 Cup Rice Bran Oil

• Salt and Pepper, to season

Let's Make This Lamb:

1. Heat a cast iron griddle on medium heat.

2. In a small bowl, combine garlic, rosemary, oil, and seasoning. Mix well to combine.

3. Brush mixture generously over each back strap and put straight onto the hot griddle.

4. Cook for 4 minutes on one side, then turn over and cook for another 4 minutes. Flip again, this time rotating the lamb so the char marks are facing the opposite direction. Cook for a further one minute and repeat on the other side for even charring.

5. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing on an angle and serving.

Homemade Lamb Gravy:

For this recipe, the main ingredient is the leftover bit from frying off the lamb. I like to add any rosemary stalks/left over garlic ends to add extra flavour and of course minimise waste.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Chicken Stock

• 1 Tbs Cornflour

• 1 Cup Water, room temperature

Let's Make This Gravy:

1. In the pan used to cook the lamb, add the chicken stock and leave on medium heat. Stir continuously and use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan to get any sticky bits off the bottom.

2. In a mug, add water and corn flour and mix with a fork to dissolve. Add to pan and mix vigorously to combine well.

3. Simmer for a further 5 minutes, or until the desired consistency. I like mine fairly runny so 5 minutes is perfect. For a thicker gravy, cook for around 10 minutes.

4. Strain the gravy into a metal bowl or gravy boat and pour over your meat.