Hairy Bikers Lamb Tray Bake

Just 2 lamb leg steaks feed 4 in this Hairy Bikers lamb tray bake, roasted over aubergine, pepper, onion and new potatoes with feta. And it’s their Lamb and Aubergine Traybake from Meat Feasts, taking roughly 1 hour 20 minutes at about 435 calories a portion.

They say the dish “smacks of sunshine and Greek islands”, and that “a green salad to follow is all you need”. So the veg carry the meal here, sharpened with red wine vinegar and dried oregano, while 150g of feta softens in the gaps.

The oven change matters most, since the veg need 40 minutes under foil at 200°C before the lamb goes on at 220°C. Then the steaks only get 15 to 20 minutes uncovered, so they cook through while the vegetables pick up colour without catching.

Hairy Bikers Lamb Tray Bake

Author: Alex Saidani Cooking Method:Roasting Cuisine:British Greek Courses:Main Course

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 15 minutesCook time:1 hour Rest time: 5 minutesTotal time:1 hour 20 minutesServings:4 servingsCalories:435 kcal Best Season:Summer

Description

Only one tin to wash here, because the potatoes, pepper and onion cook in their own steam before the lamb joins them. Then a scatter of mint over the sliced steaks is all it needs before it goes on the table.

Ingredients

For the traybake

• 2 aubergines, cut into rounds
• 1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into thick strips lengthways
• 1 red onion, cut into wedges
• 8 new potatoes, halved
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp red wine vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• a few sprigs of rosemary
• 2 lamb leg steaks
• a handful of cherry tomatoes (about 100g)
• 150g feta cheese, cut into chunks
• a small bunch of mint, leaves only
• flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the oven: Preheat the oven to 200°C, 180°C fan, Gas 6. Then put the aubergines, pepper, onion and potatoes in a roasting tin big enough to hold them in a single layer. And take the lamb out of the fridge so it loses its chill.
2. Season the veg: Drizzle the vegetables with the olive oil and red wine vinegar, then scatter over the garlic, oregano and rosemary. And season well with salt and pepper.
3. Roast under foil: Cover the tin with foil and roast for 40 minutes, then lift it out and test a potato and some aubergine with a knife. Both should feel tender, but if not, re-cover the tin and give it another 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Turn up the heat: Shut the oven door and turn it up to 220°C, 200°C fan, Gas 7, then take the foil off the tin. And tuck the tomatoes and feta around the vegetables, spacing them evenly.
5. Add the lamb: Season the lamb steaks with salt and pepper and lay them on top of the veg. Then put the tin back in the oven and roast uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on how well done you like your lamb.
6. Rest and serve: Lift the steaks onto a board and rest them for at least 5 minutes, then slice them across the grain. And serve the lamb with the vegetables, strewn with the mint leaves.

FAQs

Are two lamb steaks really enough for four?

They reckon it feeds four generously, which works out at roughly 75g of raw lamb each if your steaks weigh about 150g. And with 8 halved new potatoes in the tin, this lamb tray bake with potatoes needs no extra carbs.

For bigger appetites, add 2 more steaks side by side on the veg. And they should cook in the same time in a single layer, so check at 15 minutes, though each portion gains about 135 calories.

How do I know when the lamb is done?

Leg steaks are a whole cut, so they’re safe to eat pink in the middle as long as the outside is cooked. So 15 minutes gives pinker lamb and 20 takes it closer to well done, though thick steaks need the longer end.

With a probe thermometer, take the lamb out at about 55 to 60°C for pink, since it climbs a few degrees as it rests. Or wait for 70 to 75°C if you like it well done.

Do I need to salt the aubergines first?

No, the rounds go straight into the tin with just 2 tablespoons of oil for all the veg. That works because the foil traps steam, so the aubergine cooks soft in its own moisture instead of needing oil to fry in.

Their moussaka from the same book does it differently, salting the slices for 10 minutes before frying them in batches. And that recipe lists 7 tablespoons of oil for the job.

How many calories are in it, and does it keep?

They give no figure, so the 435 is my own sum, with the lamb bringing about 135 a portion and the feta 100. And the potatoes add about 75 and the oil 60, so halving the feta saves around 50 calories each.

Everything keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days, and the veg and feta are good eaten cold. But reheating turns pink lamb grey and can toughen it, so I’d slice any leftover lamb thinly and eat it cold.

Can I use lamb chops instead of leg steaks?

Chops of a similar thickness should cook in about the same 15 to 20 minutes, sitting on top of the veg in the same way. And their lamb chops from Meat Feasts are fried hard with kidneys and Marsala instead, if you’d rather cook chops on the hob.

For a meat-free night, their halloumi tray bake from One Pot Wonders is built up in stages too. But there the halloumi and tomatoes only go on for the final 10 minutes, over chickpeas and roasted veg.