This easy-to-make Scotch lamb pilaf recipe from Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) is a delicious, lightly-spiced dish that everyone will want to tuck into.
Made with Scotch lamb leg steak and dried apricots for subtle flavourings, the pilaf is easy to rustle up for a family midweek meal.
The addition of quinoa and lentils also makes it a healthy feast for everyone.
Easy Scotch lamb pilaf
(Serves 4)
- Ingredients
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 large red onion
- 1 lemon
- 115g soft dried apricots, chopped
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- A pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper
- 600g lean Scotch lamb leg steak, trimmed and sliced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp clear honey
- 2 x 250g packs cooked red and white quinoa
- 390g can cooked green lentils, drained
Method
You can use any ready-cooked grain in this recipe, and other canned pulses like small aduki beans or cannellini beans will work perfectly. You could also add some peas and sweetcorn to add pops of colour and extra fibre to the pilaf. Or switch the lamb strips for lean beef steak or pork fillet.
- Heat half the oil in a frying pan and fry the onion, stirring for two minutes.
Add the juice of the lemon, lower the heat, cover and gently cook for 15 minutes until softened and pink. - Turn off the heat, add the lemon rind, apricots, cinnamon and a little seasoning, re-cover and leave to stand.
- Put the lamb in a bowl and mix in the cumin, honey and a little seasoning.
- Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and stir fry the lamb for 6-7 minutes until just cooked through. Cover and leave to stand while finishing the pilaf.
- Add the quinoa and lentils to the fruity onion mixture. Stir and heat for three to four minutes until thoroughly hot. Then mix in the lamb, and heat through for a further one minute.
- Add to serving plates and sprinkle with mint and pomegranate seeds to garnish.
Accompany with low-fat natural yogurt and fresh lemon.
For more midweek meal ideas, check out our archive. Or take a look at the recipe page on the QMS website.
