Lamb, roast kumara and watercress

Tam West

Ingredients

1 medium	Red kumara, cut into 3cm slices (Main)
2 drizzles	Olive oil, just enough to coat lamb and kumara
1 pinch	Dried chilli flakes
1 clove	Garlic, crushed
1	Orange, juiced, and wide strips of the peel
1	Lamb backstrap, trimmed of any silverskin (Main)
1 Tbsp	Thyme leaves
1 handful	Watercress, stream or field sprigs (Main)

Directions

1. Put kumara in a roasting pan, add just enough olive oil to coat, along with salt, chilli flakes and half the garlic. Mix gently to coat, then scatter with orange peel strips. Roast at 200C for 30-40 minutes until tender.
2. Rub remaining garlic and a little oil over lamb, and scatter with thyme. Panfry in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes each side or until medium-rare. Remove from pan and allow to rest 2 minutes before slicing. Meanwhile deglaze pan with the orange juice and season with apinch of salt.
3. Serve kumara on warmed plates, and add lamb slices, then a good scattering of watercress. Finally spoon over some of the juices.

Pantry notes

• Keep stream or field-grown watercress in the fridge, under a plastic bag, with stems in a little water.