Rosemary – very aromatic with a crisp, refreshing perfume.

Sage – pretty grey-green leaves are best used fresh as when dried the flavour is very intense.

Thyme – an indispensable aromatic herb. Vital for bouquet garni along with parsley and bay leaf.

Mint – always a must with lamb, potatoes and peas.

Parsley – curly leaf or Italian, use frequently as they are a rich source of minerals and vitamins.

Chives – delicate onion flavour.  When snipped, their bright green colour makes them a flavoursome addition to any dish.

Lamb rump is a quick and easy mini roast.  The cut has plenty of flavour and is tender and succulent. My butcher at Kangaroo Flat, Planty’s, neatly tied the rump  as this ensures a compact shape when cooking.  

Rest the lamb before carving and slice across the grain for maximum tenderness. 

Happy cooking!  

If I can be of help with any cooking problems, email anne_morton2001@yahoo.com 

Roast lamb rumps with herb and mustard butter

Ingredients

Herb butter:

100g butter – softened

1 tablespoon mint – finely chop

1 tablespoon parsley – finely chop

1 tablespoon chives – finely chop

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

zest 1 small lemon

Lamb rumps:

2 lamb rumps – approx. 400g each

salt and ground pepper

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 tablespoon rosemary – finely chop

1 tablespoon sage – finely chop

1 tablespoon thyme – finely chop

1 clove garlic – finely chop

juice ½ lemon

1 tablespoon olive oil

Method

Herb butter:

In a bowl mix together butter, herbs, mustard and zest.  Spoon on to a piece of cling film. Roll up, twist ends to form a sausage shape. Chill.

Lamb rumps:

The pan I have used is suitable for the cook top then after browning, straight into the oven to finish roasting.

Season lamb with salt and pepper.  Using a shallow pan and over a medium heat, evenly brown lamb in hot oil. Make sure it is hot and lamb sizzles when browning as this  technique seals in juices. I know it makes a mess but this stage is pretty important.

Remove from heat. While cooling slightly, combine herbs, garlic and lemon juice with  oil. Press herb mixture into lamb. Place pan with lamb into oven. Roast uncovered at 200ºC for 20 to 25 minutes. Cover with foil and allow to rest while asparagus is cooking. Remove string.

To serve – each lamb rump will slice into two servings.  Top with a round of herb butter, add a few oven-roasted sweet potato chips and a generous serving of asparagus.

Handy hint

Cook asparagus for two to three minutes in simmering, salted water.  Drain. Toss in a little butter, then squeeze over lemon juice. 

A meat thermometer is a very handy tool that takes all the guess work out of cooking beef, lamb, pork or chicken. Simply push the metal needle into thickest part of meat, ensuring it doesn’t touch any bone.  Hey presto, cook to the degree of “doneness” the way you like it.