I’ve been eating a lot of beef lately. I had a craving for some lamb. My butcher sells local lamb.

Today I’ve consumed more carbohydrates than I’ve eaten in a long time, so I thought I may as well have some potato gems too.

Recipe

Ingredients

• Lamb chops
• Potato gems
• Beef fat
• Lemon zest
• Pomegranate arils
• Butter
• Pure pouring cream (no thickeners)
• Cream cheese
• Blue vein cheese
• Dijon mustard
• Parmesan cheese
• Freshly cracked black better

Equipment

• Weber Q+ barbecue grill
• Cast iron grill pan
• Saucepan
• Wooden chopstick
• Micro plane
• Gas torch

Instructions

1. Dry-brine the lamb chops.
2. Ignite the gas in the Weber Q+ and close the lid. Allow it to heat for 10 minutes.
3. Cook the potato gems in beef fat in the Weber Q+.
4. Cook the lamb chops atop the heated cast-iron grill pan with the Weber Q+ lid down.
5. Melt some butter in a small saucepan and then add a dash of cream. Stir in a dollop of cream cheese and then crumble in the blue vein cheese. Stir the sauce with the chopsticks and add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard. Turn off the gas and keep stirring while the sauce thickens. Add some freshly cracked pepper.
6. Place the lamb chops and potato gems on a dinner plate. Spoon over the sauce. Place pomegranate arils onto the sauce and then some lemon zest.
7. Grate some Parmesan cheese with a micro plane over the potato gems and quickly melt with a gas torch.

Photographs

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Thoughts on the meal.

Lamb chops cooked outside on a barbecue grill on a lovely sunny day are fantastic. The crunchy potato gems are great for mouthfeel. The savoury umami of the blue cheese combined perfectly with the sour lemon zest and sweet crunch of the pomegranate arils. This was a terrific meal. It can be eaten alone, and I’m sure it could be shared.

Custard hunting

Perryman’s Artisan Bakery

54 Tynte Street, North Adelaide

A few friends at work recommended the bee sting bun from Perryman’s Bakery as a fantastic example of a South Australian bee sting bun. This morning, I wanted to go custard hunting and decided to pay a visit. The display showcased so many of my favourite pastries that I couldn’t resist buying an apple turnover and a vanilla slice as well.

The apple turnover ($5.70) is one of the best I’ve eaten. On picking it up, it was heavy with apple filling. The pastry was light and crispy. The cream was delicious; it wasn’t overly sweet, yet it was light and had substance. I’d rate the apple turnover I tried at 10/10.

The bee sting bun ($5.70) is the best I’ve eaten (certainly better than the ones I’ve eaten in Victoria). The filling was luscious on my tongue and lips. The bread had dried fruit for an extra treat. The almond flakes were crisp and not bitter, unlike some that can be. I was grateful that when I entered the shop, there were none on display, and when I asked, a fresh bee sting bun was made for me. I’d rate the bee sting bun I tried at 10/10.

The vanilla slice ($5.80) was good. The vanilla custard was firm but not a stiff gelatinous block of snot like many I’ve eaten in Victoria. The icing was sweet but not sickly. The pastry was on the soft side. I’d rate the vanilla slice I tried at 7.5/10.

As I was looking around, I could see the bread looked fantastic, and I may come back another day to try the sourdough bread.

The service was friendly and helpful, and if Australia were a tipping economy, I’d leave money for the person who served me.