All recipes serve 4
POACHED MARINATED LAMB WITH COUSCOUS
1kg cubed shoulder of lamb
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled and flattened with the back of a knife
2 tbsp each of chopped parsley and coriander
1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
1 tsp ground cumin
half tbsp paprika
olive oil
450g potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
Combine the lamb, onion, garlic, parsley, coriander, ginger, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper and enough olive oil to coat the meat. Cover it and leave overnight in the fridge. Place the meat and marinade in a saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until the lamb is cooked, adding the potatoes after the first 10 minutes. Remove the meat and potatoes to a warm serving plate and discard the garlic. Reduce the sauce until half its volume and serve, with couscous or rice.
SOY-MARINATED MACKEREL, RICE, SPINACH, WASABI AND PICKLES
2 mackerel, filleted and cut into chunks about 3cm square
2 tbsp soy sauce
2cm piece of ginger
2 tbsp rice vinegar
200g short-grain rice
vegetable oil
2 tbsp finely sliced spring onions
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
350g baby spinach
1 tbsp pickled ginger
2 tbsp cornichons
wasabi paste
Combine the soy sauce, ginger, rice vinegar and the mackerel fillets, and gently toss so everything is well coated. Cover and set aside. Rinse the rice in plenty of water until it runs clear. Drain it, place in a saucepan and add 225 millilitres of cold water. Cover and cook over a medium heat. When steam starts to appear, lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the rice from the heat and allow it to sit for a further 15 minutes.
Heat a wok and when it is hot add two tablespoons of oil, the spinach, spring onions and garlic. Stir-fry over a high heat until the spinach has wilted. Remove from the heat and keep warm. Add a little more oil to the wok and stir-fry the mackerel, which tends to break up a little, for two minutes, or until cooked. Serve with the rice, spinach, a squeeze of wasabi, a few pickles and soy sauce for dipping.
MARINATED CHUMP CHOPS, MINTED YOGHURT,
COURGETTES AND COUSCOUS
4 chump chops (lamb)
4 sprigs rosemary, roughly chopped
1 heaped tsp roasted cumin seeds
2 tbsp sherry vinegar
olive oil
1 head of garlic, roughly chopped (hold back one clove)
200ml full-fat yoghurt
bunch mint picked and finely chopped
4 small courgettes
1 tbsp fresh thyme
1 mug couscous
Combine the chops, rosemary, cumin, vinegar, four tablespoons of olive oil and garlic and toss so everything is well coated. Cover and set aside, preferably overnight.
Peel, chop and mash the remaining garlic clove with a little salt. Combine with the yoghurt and mint and set aside. Trim the courgette and thinly slice lengthways. Barbecue or grill the slices until lightly charred on both side. Transfer them to a bowl, add the thyme, a seasoning of salt and pepper and three tablespoons of olive oil. Toss the courgettes and cover with cling film. Combine the couscous with an equal volume of boiling water in a bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave for five minutes. Fluff the grains with a fork and set aside.
Brush the marinade off the chops and season with plenty of salt, then barbecue or grill for four or five minutes on each side and transfer them to a warm oven for five minutes to rest. Serve with a generous dollop of couscous, a neat pile of courgettes, a couple of spoonfuls of yoghurt and a healthy slick of olive oil.
MARINATED TUNA AND BRAISED FENNEL
1 tsp fennel seeds
pinch chilli flakes
3 garlic cloves, peeled, chopped and minced with a little salt
4 tuna steaks (each about 200g)
200 ml white wine
100 ml olive oil
juice of 2 lemons
3 fennel bulbs
1 lemon to serve
Crush the fennel seeds and chilli flakes in a pestle and mortar. Mix with the garlic, and season with pepper. Gently spread this mixture over the tuna fish. Arrange it in a shallow bowl and pour the wine, olive oil and lemon juice over the fish. Cover the dish with cling film and refrigerate it overnight.
Trim the fennel bulbs and cut into six lengthways, so they remain attached at the root. Arrange the slices in a shallow pan so they just fit. Season the fennel with salt and pepper and pour four tablespoons of olive oil and two tablespoons of water over it. Simmer over a moderate heat for 20-30 minutes until tender.
Gently brush the marinade off the fish, smear it with a little more oil and grill the steaks briefly on both sides (about 1.5 minutes each side for rare, a minute longer if you like it more well done, but take care not to dry it out). Serve with the fennel and lemon wedges. harnold@irish-times.ie
Hugo Arnold's Barbecues and Other Outdoor Feasts, with photographs by Georgia Glynn Smith, has just been reprinted by Kyle Cathie (€22)