Matt McMillin
Chief Culinary Officer
Cooper’s Hawk

Thai Red Curry Lamb with Aussie Select Lamb Prime Rib

Recipe courtesy of Matthew McMillin
Sponsor: Aussie Select^®

Servings: 6 to 8

Ingredients

• 1 Aussie Select Lamb Prime Rib, about 32 oz (fully cooked)
• 2 c jasmine rice
• 3 Tbsp canola or peanut oil
• 1 lg sweet onion, cut in large dice
• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 1 ½ Tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 2 Tbsp red curry paste
• 1/2 c well-seasoned chicken stock
• 2 (13.5-oz) cans coconut milk
• 5 fresh makrut lime leaves
• 1 pinch white pepper
• ¾ tsp kosher salt
• 8 oz fresh green beans, cut in thirds
• 1 lg red pepper, cut in large dice
• 2 Tbsp fish sauce
• 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 ¼ tsp sugar
• 1/3 c Thai basil, roughly chopped, plus a bit for garnish
• 1/3 c cilantro, roughly chopped, plus a bit for garnish
• 1 c grape tomatoes, halved

Directions

1. Gently pull the rib roast apart. Cut it in half and trim any excess fat. Cut the meat into approximately 1 ½-in slices.
2. Rinse the rice well then add it and 3 c water to a pot. Cover and bring to a simmer on low, for 15 to 18 minutes, until the water is absorbed.
3. Remove from the heat, let sit for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and serve.
4. While rice is cooking, place a pot on medium heat. When hot, add the oil, followed by the onion, garlic, ginger and curry paste. Stir well, allowing the ingredients to sauté but do not brown.
5. After approximately 3 minutes, add the stock, coconut milk, lime leaves, white pepper and salt. Slowly simmer for about 10 minutes, until the sauce begins to coat the back of a spoon.
6. Add the green beans, red peppers and reserved lamb pieces and bring back to a simmer. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes to soften the vegetables and heat the lamb through.
7. In a small bowl, mix the fish sauce, lime juice and sugar until dissolved and add to sauce; bring back to simmer.
8. Check the seasoning and add the cilantro and basil.
9. To plate, place a scoop of rice at the back of a large bowl.
10. Spoon lamb, vegetables and sauce over and around the rice.
11. Sprinkle with tomato halves.
12. Garnish with some reserved basil and cilantro.

Chef Notes

I use Mae Ploy brand red curry but you can use Massaman curry if you don’t like the sauce spicy. Flavor profile is the same, just not as spicy.

This version of an Indonesian or Malaysian curry is very simple and versatile. I usually make this with seafood but a few years ago, I took a bone-in shoulder and braised it and pulled the meat apart and folded it in at the end, so figured the roast was a nice twist on this dish.

In a restaurant environment, the base sauce can be scaled up by just sauteing the red peppers and green beans, heating the sauce, adding the lamb and then finishing with the balancing of the sugar, fish sauce and lime mixture. That is the magic to this dish, which lends balance—a little sweet, sour and salty. Finish the dish with the herbs and tomatoes. Small pieces of eggplant also add a nice touch of color and flavor. I typically fry pieces of Turkish or Japanese eggplant, hold for service and toss in at pick up.

Project Management: Summit F&B
Photography: Carlos Garcia // Food Styling: Peg Blackley