Festive lamb

Ingredients:

Festive Lamb:

• 4 pieces of rump tenderloin (130 g each)
• 3 tablespoons of sunflower oil
• 1/3 cup water
• 110 ml of Jamaican or Irish strong beer
• 1.5 tbsp. l. brown sugar
• Sprigs of fresh mint for garnish
• Rice with beans (see recipe below)

Spicy Paste:

• 6 allspice berries
• 1/2 hot chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped, preferably Jamaican Scotch Bonnet (Please, put on gloves)
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves
• 2 green onions, chopped (white ends removed)
• 3 fresh sprigs of thyme (leaves picked)
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1 tbsp. l. olive oil
• Salt and ground black pepper

Rice with beans:

• 1 fresh coconut
• 1 can (400 g) black beans (drained and rinsed)
• 450 gr. basmati rice
• 3 and 1/3 cups warm water, plus more if needed
• 1/2 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 whole hot red chili pepper (preferably Scotch Bonnet)
• 1 green onion, crushed with a rolling pin
• 1 peeled clove of garlic
• 7 allspice peas
• 2 fresh sprigs of thyme
• 2 tbsp (30 g) butter
• Salt and ground black pepper

Preparation:

1. For the spicy paste: In a mortar and pestle, crush the green onions, chili peppers, mint leaves, allspice berries, thyme leaves, lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Chop as finely as possible.
   
   For lamb: Wash the lamb and pat dry with paper towels. Cut into cubes. Using gloved hands, mix the hot paste with the lamb in a bowl until the meat is completely coated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight.
2. Heat the oil in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Once hot, add the meat. Immediately cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 5 minutes. Rinse the bowl the lamb was marinated in with water and pour the liquid into the saucepan. Cover again and cook for another 5 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, combine the beer and brown sugar. Remove the lid, add the beer mixture, and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 8 minutes, until the meat is cooked through. The liquid should evaporate, leaving a dark, glossy stew with a tangy, sweet, and bitter flavor.
   
   Garnish with fresh mint sprigs and serve with rice and beans.
4. To prepare rice with beans: First, crack the coconut. Choose one of the three eyes, the one you're most likely to pierce (they're located at one end, and you'll only need one of them).
   
   Try piercing the eye with a sturdy, sharp knife. If you can't make a hole, try other ones. Pour the coconut milk through the hole into a small bowl. Crack the coconut and use a small, sharp knife to separate the flesh from the shell. Cooking tip: It's best to do this outdoors near a concrete surface.
5. Grate the coconut into a bowl. Pour 2 3/4 cups of water over the coconut and stir. Scoop handfuls of coconut from the water and squeeze the juice into the bowl. Place the squeezed coconut chunks in a sieve, pour the coconut water into a saucepan, and return the coconut to the bowl.
   
   Pour the remaining clean water over the grated coconut flesh, then scoop it out again, handful by hand, squeezing out all the liquid. Pour the prepared coconut water into a saucepan and discard the squeezed flesh.
6. Stir in fresh coconut water at this point, if desired. Then add the black beans, onion, chili pepper, green onions, garlic, allspice berries, thyme, butter, and season with salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, rinse the rice under cold running water until the water runs clear. Drain all the water and place the rice in a saucepan with the reserved coconut water or base.
   
   You may need to add more water to reach an inch above the rice. Season with salt and pepper, bring to a boil, and immediately cover the rice with a lid. Reduce heat to as low as possible and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
   Culinary advice: Do not stir the rice or look under the lid!
   
   When the rice is tender, remove the chili, green onions, and thyme sprigs, fluff the rice with a fork, and serve immediately. Serves: 6.