HERB & GARLIC LAMB MINI ROAST WITH BUTTERNUT PUMPKIN AND CHICKPEA SALAD

An easy one-tray Sunday roast for four

A herb and garlic lamb mini roast cooked on the rack above halves of butternut pumpkin, so the lamb juices drip down and baste the pumpkin as it roasts. I like to serve mine on one platter with a crunchy chickpea and herb salad and a creamy lemon and mint sauce so it looks generous and inviting.

The lamb and pumpkin roast together for about 40 minutes. Use that time to make the salad and sauce, and everything is ready to plate while the lamb rests. Easy, delicious and gorgeous to look at.

20 mins Preparation

40 mins Cook , plus 15 minutes resting

4-6 Serves

INGREDIENTS

1 Amelia Park Herb & Garlic Lamb Mini Roast (about 750g)
1 small butternut pumpkin (about 1.2kg), halved lengthways, seeds removed
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

Chickpea and Herb Salad

400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 Lebanese cucumber, diced
2 spring onions, finely sliced
½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
¼ cup mint leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons dill or fennel fronds
2 tablespoons pepitas, toasted
⅔ of the lemon and mint sauce (below), to dress

Creamy Lemon and Mint Sauce

¾ cup Greek yoghurt
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Zest and juice of ½ lemon
1 small garlic clove, grated
2 tablespoons chopped mint
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper

Method

To Prepare

Take the lamb out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the oven to 200°C conventional (180°C fan-forced). Set one oven rack in the top third of the oven and another on the lowest shelf.
Place the pumpkin halves cut-side up in a roasting dish. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, season well with salt and pepper and put the dish on the lowest shelf.
Drizzle the lamb with the remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Place the lamb fat-side up directly on the rack above the pumpkin, so the juices drip onto the pumpkin as it cooks. Roast the lamb and pumpkin together for about 40 minutes for medium (25 minutes per 500g), or 30 minutes per 500g for well done. The pumpkin is ready when a knife slides easily into the thickest part.
While the lamb and pumpkin roast, make the salad. Combine the chickpeas, cucumber, spring onion, parsley, mint, dill and pepitas in a bowl. Leave it undressed until serving.
Make the sauce. Stir the yoghurt, mustard, lemon zest and juice, garlic, mint, parsley and olive oil together in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Take the lamb out of the oven, cover it loosely with foil and rest it for 15 minutes.
Arrange the pumpkin halves on a large platter. Toss the salad with two-thirds of the sauce, then spoon it over and around the pumpkin.
Slice the lamb about 1cm thick, across the grain. Lay the slices alongside the pumpkin and salad, spoon over any resting juices and serve with the remaining lemon and mint sauce.

Cook’s Notes

Check the weight on the pack before you start. A 750g roast takes about 38 minutes for medium.
If the pumpkin isn’t quite tender when the lamb comes out, leave it in the oven while the lamb rests.
The salad (without dressing) and the sauce can be made up to 4 hours ahead and kept in the fridge. Add the pepitas just before serving so they stay crunchy.
Herb and garlic coatings can contain gluten. Check the label if you’re cooking gluten free.

1 Amelia Park Herb & Garlic Lamb Mini Roast (about 750g)
1 small butternut pumpkin (about 1.2kg), halved lengthways, seeds removed
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

Chickpea and Herb Salad

400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 Lebanese cucumber, diced
2 spring onions, finely sliced
½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
¼ cup mint leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons dill or fennel fronds
2 tablespoons pepitas, toasted
⅔ of the lemon and mint sauce (below), to dress

Creamy Lemon and Mint Sauce

¾ cup Greek yoghurt
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Zest and juice of ½ lemon
1 small garlic clove, grated
2 tablespoons chopped mint
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper

To Prepare

Take the lamb out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the oven to 200°C conventional (180°C fan-forced). Set one oven rack in the top third of the oven and another on the lowest shelf.
Place the pumpkin halves cut-side up in a roasting dish. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, season well with salt and pepper and put the dish on the lowest shelf.
Drizzle the lamb with the remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Place the lamb fat-side up directly on the rack above the pumpkin, so the juices drip onto the pumpkin as it cooks. Roast the lamb and pumpkin together for about 40 minutes for medium (25 minutes per 500g), or 30 minutes per 500g for well done. The pumpkin is ready when a knife slides easily into the thickest part.
While the lamb and pumpkin roast, make the salad. Combine the chickpeas, cucumber, spring onion, parsley, mint, dill and pepitas in a bowl. Leave it undressed until serving.
Make the sauce. Stir the yoghurt, mustard, lemon zest and juice, garlic, mint, parsley and olive oil together in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Take the lamb out of the oven, cover it loosely with foil and rest it for 15 minutes.
Arrange the pumpkin halves on a large platter. Toss the salad with two-thirds of the sauce, then spoon it over and around the pumpkin.
Slice the lamb about 1cm thick, across the grain. Lay the slices alongside the pumpkin and salad, spoon over any resting juices and serve with the remaining lemon and mint sauce.

Cook’s Notes

Check the weight on the pack before you start. A 750g roast takes about 38 minutes for medium.
If the pumpkin isn’t quite tender when the lamb comes out, leave it in the oven while the lamb rests.
The salad (without dressing) and the sauce can be made up to 4 hours ahead and kept in the fridge. Add the pepitas just before serving so they stay crunchy.
Herb and garlic coatings can contain gluten. Check the label if you’re cooking gluten free.

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Kate Flower

Kate Flower is a Western Australia–based food stylist and recipe developer with over 25 years of industry experience. She specialises in creating visually striking, approachable dishes and works with leading food brands, alongside hosting workshops and publishing cookbooks. Kate is passionate about inspiring others to see the beauty and potential in everyday ingredients.