A Lamb Rump Steak makes a fantastic alternative to a classic beef steak. Easy to cook, rich in flavour and with lots of marbled fat to keep it juicy. There are, of course, a million ways to serve a steak, but here I thought I’d keep things simple and allow the flavours of the lamb to sing. I pan-fry 'till deeply caramelised but blushing pink within, with oven chips and Anchoiade, an incredible mayo made with anchovy, garlic and rosemary.
Lamb Rump Steaks, Oven Chips & Anchoiade, by Julius Roberts
Ingredients
Method
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For the mayonnaise.
Mix the two oils in a jug that’s easy to pour from. Crack the eggs into a wide mixing bowl or food processor and follow with the rest of the ingredients, except the two oils. Whisk or blitz together until this forms a cohesive paste, then while whisking ferociously, slowly begin to trickle in the oil.
By hand, this requires a little elbow grease but is incredibly easy to do with a food processor or blender. The key is trickling in the oil as slowly as you can while whisking constantly to emulsify the oil into the eggs. If you pour too fast it will split.
Once the mayo begins to thicken and slap the sides of your bowl with a satisfying thwack, you can trickle in the oil a little faster. Once all the oil has been incorporated, have a taste and adjust the seasoning with more lemon juice, mustard and salt until it tastes fantastic. If using shop-bought mayonnaise, just finely chop and grate the anchovy, rosemary, and garlic, then mix into the mayo and adjust with lemon juice to taste.
Preheat your oven to 220 degrees.
To make the chips.
Cut the potatoes into chunky 1.5-2cm square chips. Place a sheet of baking parchment on a large baking tray and cover it with the chips, then drizzle with olive oil and season generously with flaky sea salt. Place in the oven for around 40-60 minutes, turning halfway through to ensure they colour evenly. You’re looking for caramelised and crisp edges, but don’t take it too far.
Once the chips are in the oven, place the two steaks on a plate and drizzle with a touch of olive oil. Season both sides generously with flaky salt and leave for 30 minutes to come up to room temperature and absorb the salt.
When the chips are nearly there, get a frying pan hot and lay the steaks standing up fat side down. Cook until the fat is crisp and golden brown, then turn the steaks onto their sides and caramelise each side for 2-3 minutes depending on how well cooked you like your steak. At this point, I like to add a few knobs of butter, a smashed clove of garlic and a sprig or two of fresh thyme.
Allow the butter to foam, then tilt the pan so it collects at the bottom and baste the steaks for a minute. Prod each steak with your finger to check for doneness, they want to be firm but springy with a gentle give. When ready remove from the pan to a plate with all the cooking juices and leave to rest for 5 minutes.
By this point, the chips should be ready, pour them into a bowl and toss them with lots of pepper, dried oregano and a touch more salt. Slice the steaks and plate them with the chips, anchovy mayo and a zingy green salad.
