Asian-style Welsh Lamb loin with vegetable and noodle salad

Serves 4 (Start 1 day before serving) Starters and mains

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Method

The day before, mix all the marinade ingredients together in a non-corrosive dish. Cut the loin in half and add, turning it to coat the meat. Put in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight, turning it whenever you can.

A few hours in advance, cut the spring onions for the salad into 3 lengths and shred into matchstick threads, then place in a bowl of ice-cold water for a few hours to curl.

Put the sugar snaps into a pan of boiling water for around 30 seconds. When they make a popping noise, drain in a colander and refresh under the cold tap. Cut each one in half lengthways and set aside. Thinly slice the radishes and cucumber into rounds and then add to the sugar snaps.

Put the instant noodles in a bowl and pour over boiling water. As soon as they soften a little, separate them with a fork and let them sit for 3-4 minutes to soften completely. Drain in a colander, refresh under cold running water and set aside.

Put all the ingredients for the dressing in a screw-topped jar and shake well.

Light the barbecue, if using. Remove the meat from the fridge 15 minutes before cooking. When the coals are ready, rake them to one side and oil the rack. Alternatively, heat a ridged griddle pan or heavy-based iron pan on the hob set over a low-medium heat. Lift the meat from the marinade and pat dry with kitchen paper.

Brush the meat with oil, then salt sparingly and sear on all sides until browned for around 3-4 minutes on each side for rare or a little longer, if preferred. If using the barbecue, baste with the marinade during cooking. When cooked to your liking, cover the lamb with foil and let it rest for 15 minutes.

Divide the noodles among serving plates, pour a little dressing over and toss. Arrange the rest of the prepared salad ingredients over the noodles along with the peanuts and basil and some of the drained curled spring onions. Gently toss together as you serve.

Slice the rested lamb thinly and add to the plate, then drizzle with the remaining dressing and top with more curled onions.

Welsh Lamb comes with PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) status, ensuring its quality, integrity and provenance. Produced by caring farmers, traditional flocks are farmed non-intensively across grasslands peppered with heather and fragrant wild herbs just as they have been since the 14th century. The result is a unique taste
of Wales – versatile, succulent, sweet and tender.

This recipe was taken from the August/September 2021 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe, click here.