Lamb with Zucchini and Basil is a dish that would work well with Mint, but fresh Basil makes the tender Lamb and crisp Zucchini really shine.
I most frequently pair Lamb with Mint, or Rosemary, as the primary aromatics, but fresh Basil works wonderfully, especially along with Zucchini. This little dish requires just a little bit of preparation but can then be put together very quickly with a brief, final stir-fry. It is great with crusty bread.
Ingredient Notes
For this dish, I used small, bite-sized pieces on the bone. These were basic lamb trimmings I obtained from my butcher and were much cheaper than obtaining other cuts and hacking them apart myself. You could easily use small bone-less cubes of lamb, if you like, or small sections of lamb rib would work nicely too.
The Basic Method for Lamb with Zucchini and Basil
The first step is to toss the meat with the garlic salt, pepper, and a splash of olive oil and let it marinate. A half-hour will suffice, but you can always let it sit in the refrigerator overnight for a bit of extra flavor punch.
You need to first pre-cook your lamb pieces until they are just nicely browned but still underdone in the middle. An easy way is to give them about 30 minutes or so in a 400-degree oven, or you can also quickly fry them in a little oil.
Next, heat a pan over a high heat, add a couple of tablespoons of oil and sear the zucchini cubes until browning in places. You need to do this at sufficiently high heat to get the surface brown almost to the point of crispy, while keeping the interior still relatively crisp tender.
Finally, add the cooked meat followed by the wine and the basil. Toss until the basil is just wilted but still bright green, and serve immediately.
Your Recipe Card:
Lamb with Zucchini and Basil
Ingredients
- 3/4 lb cubed Lamb;
- 1 small Zucchini cut into large dice;
- 1 small bunch of fresh Basil;
- 1 tsp. Garlic Puree;
- 2 Tbsp. White Wine;
- 1 pinch each Garlic Salt and Black Pepper;
- Olive Oil.
Instructions
- Toss the meat with the garlic salt, pepper, and a splash of olive oil and let this marinate for 30 minutes or so.
- Heat your oven to 450 and quickly roast the meat just until nicely browned, or alternatively, quickly flash-fry the pieces in a little oil.
- Heat a pan over a high heat, add a couple of tablespoons of oil and sear the zucchini cubes until browning in places.
- Finally, add the cooked meat followed by the wine and the basil. Toss until the basil is wilted and serve immediately.