Lamb steaks with green tahini and roasted vegetables

A zingy lemon and tahini sauce takes your regular steak and chips to new heights in this date night platter for two.

This is date night, done right. A huge Middle Eastern platter of lean lamb steaks, flavoured with garlic and rosemary, and accompanied by as many roasted vegetables as you can fit onto a large serving platter.

The more colour, the better, so fill your roasting tin up with whatever is in season and let your imagination run wild.

The only non-negotiable is my glorious green tahini sauce, which is good enough to be bottled and sold for a pretty penny. Any leftovers are gorgeous drizzled over your morning poached eggs.

How To Make Lamb Steaks With Green Tahini And Roasted Vegetables

• Chef Catling’s recipe notes
• Recipe: Lamb steaks with green tahini and roasted vegetables
• Frequently asked questions, including how to nail the perfect cook on your steak

Tips & Notes To Know

• Bring your steaks to room temperature: Remove from the fridge at least 15 minutes before use. This will prevent the outside from overcooking while the inside is still cold.
• Don’t crowd your traybake: You want your vegetables to caramelise, not steam, so make sure there’s enough space for the air to circulate. Use two trays if needs be. It’ll be worth the extra washing up.
• No colour, no flavour: A good sear makes a great steak so get your pan smoking hot and don’t turn your steak until those char marks are visible.
• Lock in the juices: The general rule of thumb is to let your steaks rest for 5-8 minutes. This gives the muscle fibres time to relax so the juices settle back into the meat, rather than leaching out onto your chopping board.
• Slice against the grain: Look for parallel lines or streaks on the surface of the steak. These are the muscle fibres, and the grain runs along their direction. Cutting across these makes the steak easier to eat, so you’re not giving your jaw a workout.

Lamb steaks with green tahini and roasted vegetables

Serves: 2 Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 45 mins 45 mins

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Ingredients

2 medium sweet potatoes, skin on, cut into thin slices
2 parsnips, peeled and cut into spears
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into large batons
1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for frying
1 tsp smoked paprika
4 radishes
1 red onion, cut into 4 wedges
2 lamb steaks
1 tbsp butter
1 sprig fresh rosemary
3 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
6 broccoli florets

For the green tahini sauce
30ml tahini paste
Small bunch of fresh coriander, chopped
Small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 lemon, juiced to taste

Instructions

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 200C.

Step 2
Coat the parsnips, sweet potato slices and carrots with half a tablespoon of olive oil and the smoked paprika. Season and place in a roasting tin. Mix well and roast in the oven for 40-45 minutes, turning once, until tender and caramelised.

Step 3
Place the radishes and red onions in a separate baking tray with the remaining olive oil and some seasoning. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the onions are caramelised.

Step 4
To prepare the lamb steaks, rub with a drizzle of olive oil on both sides and season with salt and pepper 

Step 5
Preheat a griddle pan over a high heat. Add the lamb steaks and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness (see below).

Step 6
Throw in the butter, garlic and rosemary for the last 45 seconds of cooking and tilt the pan slightly to baste the steaks in the juices.

Step 7
Transfer each steak to a chopping board and leave to rest while you steam the broccoli over a pan of boiling water for 4-5 minutes until tender.

Step 8
To make the green tahini sauce, add the tahini paste, coriander, parsley and extra-virgin olive oil to a blender and squeeze in the lemon juice to taste. Season and blitz to a smooth, runny consistency before decanting into a small ramekin.

Step 9
Slice the lamb steaks against the grain and serve on a platter alongside the roasted vegetables, the steamed broccoli and the green tahini sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Know When My Steak Is Cooked?

For medium rare, your steak should feel soft and springy but with a slight resistance. It’s always better to err on the side of underdone – that way you can put it back in the pan if you find the steak is too rare for your liking.

To simplify the process, invest in a digital cooking thermometer (it’s the best and most useful gadget I’ve ever purchased) and follow this chart to nail the perfect cook on your steak.

What is Tahini?
Tahini is a rich, thick and creamy paste made from ground sesame seeds. It has a mild, nutty and slightly bitter taste, with a texture similar to that of peanut butter.

It’s a staple ingredient in hummus and baba ganoush, plus it’s suitable for gluten free and vegan diets. You can buy it readymade in jars or make your own by toasting sesame seeds and grounding them to a smooth paste.

How Long Will The Green Tahini Sauce Last For?

The green tahini sauce keeps for up to a week in the fridge. It tastes particularly good drizzled over poached or scrambled eggs or as a moist-maker in a chicken wrap.