Pea, lamb and mint soup

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Ingredients (15)

Lamb

1 kg	lamb loin — on the bone
1 tsp	salt
1 head	garlic
3 tbsp	olive oil
1 medium	onion — peeled and diced
1 medium	potato — peeled and chopped (reserve peels)
3 sprigs	fresh thyme
1.2 l	lamb stock — made with the bones from the loin
500 g	frozen peas — (petit pois)
1 tbsp	apple cider vinegar
1 cup	fresh mint leaves — finely chopped
1/2 cup	fresh parsley — finely chopped
1 1/2 cup	milk
1 tsp	salt
1/2 tsp	freshly ground black pepper

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Method:

Made using a Vortex Air Fryer and Instant Pot Pro.

Remove the loin from the bone. Wrap the loin in cling wrap, rolling it tightly to form a cylinder, and place in the freezer for 15 minutes. Place the lamb bones in the Instant Pot Pro and add water to cover. Season with salt, stir and seal the pot. Pressure cook on high for 25 minutes. Let it natural pressure release for 20 minutes and release the remaining pressure.

Remove the bones from the broth and set aside in a baking tray. Reduce the broth to about half, on the sauté setting (high).

Pre-heat the air fryer and select the roast setting (190°C). Slice the top off the garlic bulb to expose the cloves. Once the oven is ready, place in a baking tray together with the lamb bones. Drizzle with a little olive oil and roast for 20 minutes in the air fryer.

Remove from the air fryer, take out the garlic and place aside. Remove any lamb crackling from the bones and set aside. Deglaze the baking dish with some of the broth. Place the broth in a small saucepan and cook for 10 minutes to add flavour and colour to make the lamb stock.

Place 2 tablespoons olive oil in the Instant Pot Pro and select sauté (medium heat). Add the onion, potato and thyme, and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add the lamb stock to the Instant Pot Pro and bring to the boil.

Add the peas and apple cider vinegar and bring to the boil. Turn the Instant Pot Pro onto low heat, add the mint and parsley, and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Add the milk and blend into the soup.

Squeeze out the garlic cloves and add to the soup. Use a stick blender and blend until just smooth. Reheat the soup so that it is piping hot.

Remove the lamb loin from the freezer and slice very thin slices of the lamb.

Ladle the soup into serving dishes and place a few thin slices of lamb in each dish. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with lamb crackling, crispy potato skins that are prepared in the air fryer, and mint oil made by infusing finely chopped mint in olive oil. Slices of freshly baked potato bread will round off this tasty soup.

Supported by the Red Meat Industry of SA.

Recipe developed by Gerrie Du Rand; Styling by Caro Alberts; Photography by Michelle Parkin Photography