Christmas roast: Chef Raymond Tham's fuss-free rack of lamb and beef pot roast recipes

Tham says that although making a roast rack of lamb might seem daunting, it is actually a lot easier than roasting a chicken. — RAYMOND THAM

While white meat like turkey and chicken often takes centre stage come Christmastime, red meats are equally attractive (and sometimes infinitely less time-consuming) meals to prepare at home, especially for busy home cooks with a lot on their plates.

According to Raymond Tham, the chef-owner of contemporary Kuala Lumpur-based European eatery Skillet and modern Malaysian restaurant Beta, serving up a herb-crusted roast rack of lamb can often be easier than putting together a seemingly-simple roast chicken!

The affable Tham is often regarded as one of the country’s top chefs and has worked in Europe for 10 years and even spent some time as a chocolatier.

At his restaurant Skillet, degustation menus typically feature complex, well-constructed meals inspired by regional European cuisine, which is why he can more than hold his own when it comes to honouring the traditional Western roast, while giving it his own unique spin.

“I think lamb is actually quite easy to cook. Chicken has a higher chance of overcooking and can get dry, especially around the breast area. But lamb typically cooks quite evenly and is very, very tender. All you really need to nail the dish is a meat thermometer (available at many baking shops) to check the temperature of the meat,” he says.

Tham’s rack of lamb features herbs like parsley and rosemary smattered atop the lamb, which gives it undulating herbaceous overtones that meld beautifully with the meat, which is a beautiful blush pink and tender with all its juices intact. Cutting into the meat yields succulence and oh-so much flavour in every mouthful.

Although most home cooks keep their attentions focused on the roasts at hand, Tham believes an able side dish can also help elevate a meal. Which is why he thinks of interesting side dishes like his braised red cabbage, which is filled with dried fruits and warming spices like cinnamon, which give it a festive vibe, almost like a savoury version of fruitcake!

“If you follow a traditional German braised cabbage recipe, there are no dried fruits. For them, there’s probably something wrong with doing this. But I was inspired to create this because during winter time, there is normally an abundance of dried fruits and if you add this to the cabbage, it just gives it a nice Christmassy feeling,” he explains.

“And for me, a side dish is very important, because the lamb has gamey undertones, so you need a bit of sweetness to balance the whole meal, otherwise it becomes too savoury and overwhelming,” he says.

For home cooks looking for inventive, out-of-the-box roast options that can be made in advance, instead of slaving away in the kitchen on Christmas day – Tham advocates making dishes like his beef pot roast, which features hearty, plump wagyu meatballs roasted in the oven alongside a potpourri of vegetables like carrots and parsnips, all of which are coated in a rich, divine sauce.

“This will definitely be much easier for people to make at home, because they can actually prepare it a day in advance and keep it for the next day, when they just need to heat it up. So this is a stress-free Christmas recipe,” says Tham, laughing.

HERB-CRUSTED ROAST RACK OF LAMB WITH BRAISED RED CABBAGE

Herb crust

3 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds

1 sprig rosemary

1 handful parsley

1 clove garlic

a pinch of salt

a pinch of black pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp finely chopped sourdough breadcrumbs

Blend everything together roughly – you can also add other herbs such as thyme or even daun kaduk for a more Malaysian spin. Set aside.

Red cabbage stew

1 small knob butter

2 cups red cabbage, shredded

1 beetroot, diced

1 green Granny Smith apple, diced

1 tbsp chopped apricot

1 tbsp raisins

1 orange, sliced

1 cinnamon stick

2 star anise

salt to taste

Heat up a pan and add butter. Add cabbage, beetroot and apples and lightly saute all the ingredients. Add some water or vegetables stock (just enough to cover the cabbage).

Add apricot, raisins, orange, spices and salt to taste. Cover with lid and let it slowly braise in the liquid until vegetables are tender. Check seasoning and remove from the heat once done.

Frenched lamb rack

600g rack of lamb

salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

Marinate lamb rack with salt and pepper and leave for 1 to 2 hours.

Heat up a black cast iron skillet pan, and render the lamb, searing all the surfaces.

Pre-heat oven to 200°C. Roast lamb for 8 to 10 minutes or once it reaches an internal temperature of 45°C

Spread Dijon mustard all over the lamb and put the herb crust on top. Continue roasting for 2 minutes (for medium rare).

Use a meat thermometer to check for internal temperature based on your preferred doneness. Internal temperature: rare 45°C - 51°C; medium rare 54°C – 60°C; medium 60°C - 65°C

Allow internal temperature to be 5°C to 10°C less than you like because the meat will continue to cook while it sits.

Remove from the oven, cover with aluminium foil and let rest for 5 to 8 minutes before cutting it.

Gravy

1/3 cup shallots

2 tbsp plain flour

1 tbsp tomato paste

2 to 3 cups lamb stock or vegetable stock (if required)

salt and pepper to taste

1 sprig rosemary

After lamb is done, remove the lamb from roasting tray. Add in water or wine to deglaze the tray and set aside.

Heat up a pan and add a tablespoon of lamb fat (from the roasting pan) and brown the shallots, followed by the flour, without burning it. Add tomato paste.

Add in the pan sauce (from previous deglaze). If this is not enough, top up with lamb stock or vegetable stock and leave to simmer.

Add salt, pepper and rosemary and cook gravy until it reaches the desired consistency.

HEARTY WAGYU BEEF “ORNAMENTS” POT ROAST

For the wagyu meatballs

200g onion

2 cups minced wagyu beef

a sprig of thyme leaves

2 eggs

100g breadcrumbs

100g parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp olive oil

In a pan, sweat chopped onion with a bit of olive oil and leave to cool.

Mix beef with thyme, onions, eggs, bread crumbs, parmesan and season with salt and pepper.

Keep in the chiller for 1 hour and then shape mixture into balls, approximately 50g each.

Heat up a pan with olive oil. Lightly brown the balls then remove from the pan. Reserve the beef for use later.

For the pot roast

½ cup carrot, sliced

¼ cup parsnip, sliced

¼ cup celeriac, sliced

¼ cup celery, sliced

2 onions, sliced

1 sprig thyme

2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly

3 bay leaves

A handful of beef bacon

1 tbsp tomato puree

1 tbsp plain flour

3 cups beef stock

1 tsp juniper berries

1 cinnamon stick

A few sprigs parsley, chopped finely

Heat up a Dutch oven (a thick-walled cast iron cooking pot with a tight lid). Add oil (from previous wagyu beef), then root vegetables, onions, thyme, garlic, bay leaves and beef bacon and cook until it is browned.

Add in tomato puree followed by plain flour and continue to brown. Add in beef stock or water, and then in juniper berries, cinnamon and the pre-browned wagyu beef ‘ornaments’.

Cover the Dutch oven and put it in a pre-heated oven at 150C for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, add parsley and serve.

Skip the hassle and order family meals online. Apply GrabFood Voucher for extra savings GrabFood Voucher