Maca lamb loin with Olluco potatoes and Uchucuta sauce
Introduce your dinner party guests to the soul warming flavours of Peru with chef Martin Morales's fresh and zingy recipe for seared lamb loin and nutty Uchucuta herb sauce. Don't be put off by the length, it's really easy to make and is a great idea for an impressive dinner party main
- 400g lamb loinany fat or sinew removed
- 2 cloves garliccrushed
- 100g panca chilli paste or any smoked chilli paste
- 2 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- achiote (annatto seeds) oil or rapeseed oil
- olive oilfor frying
- 240g Olluco potatoes, Anya potatoes or new potatoesboiled and halved to serve
- Greek yoghurtto serve
PERUVIAN HERB MIX
- a bunch corianderchopped
- a bunch basilchopped
- a bunch tarragonchopped
UCHUCUTA SAUCE
- 50g garlic cloves(approx. 1 bulb)
- a large bunch coriander
- 200g baby spinach
- 15g cancha corn or shelled pistachios
- 20g feta
- 100-150ml olive oil
MACA-CANCHA-PANCA powder
- 5g maca powder
- 10g cancha corn or shelled pistachiosblended to a powder
- 10g aji panca chilli powder or other smoked chilli powder
Nutrition: per serving
- kcal657
- fat55.4g
- saturates11.5g
- carbs9.7g
- sugars3.9g
- fibre6.6g
- protein26.8g
- salt1.5g
Method
step 1
Portion the lamb equally into 4. To make the Peruvian herb mix, put all of the herbs in a blender and whizz until finely chopped. Mix the garlic, panca chilli paste, vinegar, soy sauce, achiote oil and Peruvian herb mix in a large bowl. Add the lamb, stir to coat in the spices and marinate for 3 hours. Remove from the fridge half an hour before cooking to come to room temperature.
step 2
To make the uchucuta sauce, blanch the garlic cloves in boiling water for 4-5 minutes, adding the coriander and spinach leaves for the last 30 seconds. Strain through a colander, and plunge into iced water to cool. Drain again, squeezing all the water from the mix. Put all the ingredients, except the oil, in a small blender and whizz until blended, gradually adding the oil with the motor still running until it makes a smooth sauce. Cover and chill.
step 3
Put a splash of olive oil in a frying pan and remove the lamb loins from the marinade. Fry for 2 minutes on all 4 sides for medium, or longer if you like. The internal temperature should reach 60C. Leave to rest under foil.
step 4
Mix all of the maca-cancha-panca powder ingredients together.
step 5
To serve, slice the lamb portions and put onto the plates. Add some cooked potatoes, followed by the uchucuta sauce. Finally, sprinkle with the maca-cancha-panca powder. Drizzle over some greek yogurt, if you like.