Feeding the Masses – Rockpool Staff Dinner
December 23rd, 2009. Posted by luane
Here at Rockpool 5pm is an extremely popular time of day for that is when staff dinner is served!
Feeding about 40 starving staff members is no mean feat and our Chefs take it in turn to whip up something delicious and filling to keep the Crew satiated until the last customer waves goodbye at the end of a busy service.
This recipe for Fragrant lamb tagine with potatoes and olives, served with pine nut and currant couscous and mint yoghurt is a real crowd pleaser.
Many thanks to Will Cowan-Lunn for the recipe too.
Fragrant Lamb Tagine with Potatoes and Olives
Serves 40
3kg lamb shoulder, cut into 3cm chunks
8 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons finely ground black pepper
2 ½ teaspoons powdered ginger
2 pinches pulverised saffron
1 ½ teaspoons turmeric
8 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large onions, minced
2.5kg Desiree potatoes
4 preserved lemons, rinsed
400g Gaetas olives
350ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 bunch coriander, chopped
sea salt, to taste
Trim excess fat from lamb. In a large casserole dish toss the lamb chunks with the garlic, salt, spices, oil, herbs and onion. Cover with 1 litre water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer over moderate heat for 2 hours, turning the meat often in the sauce.
Peel and quarter potatoes, when meat is almost perfectly tender add potatoes and continue cooking until both meat and potatoes are done.
Quarter preserved lemons and discard pulp. Rinse and stone the olives. Add both to the casserole for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Stir in lemon juice and adjust seasoning as necessary using sea salt.
Pine Nut and Currant Couscous
Olive oil
500g couscous
300g pine nuts, toasted
300g currants
1 bunch mint, chopped
1 bunch coriander, chopped
6 eschalots, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
150g preserved lemon, minced
500ml chicken stock
Place couscous in a large boil. Boil chicken stock and pour over couscous to just cover. Tightly wrap bowl with cling film and let stand for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, sweat eschalot and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add pine nuts, stir for 2 minutes to toast, add currants. Remove pan from heat and add mint, coriander and preserved lemon.
Run a fork through the couscous to separate the grains. Add pine nut mixture to couscous and season to taste.
Mint Yoghurt
1kg natural yoghurt
1 bunch mint, chopped
juice of 1 lemon
pinch of ground cumin
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
Combine all ingredients and season to taste.
Tags: Lamb, mains, Neil Perry, Phil Wood, Recipes, Rockpool Sydney, staff dinner, will cowan-lunn
