This festive season, make time to try new activities, such as gardening, baking, and even testing your cooking skills by trying out a delicious Christmas-inspired recipe courtesy of Wayland Green, the Executive Culinary Artist at Granny Mouse Country House & Spa based in the KZN Midlands.

His take on minted lamb calls for Minted Lamb Chops & Cannellini Beans. Here’s how to make this hearty dish.

Ingredients: Lamb Chops

• Lamb Loin Chops x 300 gram
• Garlic x 10 grams
• Fresh Mint x 5 grams
• Course Black Pepper x 2grams
• Salt x 2grams
• Oil x 3ml

Ingredients: Cannellini Beans

• Red Onion x 80 grams
• Garlic x 2 grams
• Cherry Tomatoes x 80 grams
• Parsley x 5 grams
• Cannellini Beans x 80 grams
• Butter x 5 grams
• Salt x 2 grams
• Pepper x 2 grams

Method

Finely chop or grate the garlic and add it to the oil. Add the salt, pepper and chopped mint to the oil mixture as well.

Put your lamb chops into an airtight container and pour over the oil and herb mixture and allow to stand overnight for best flavour or for 30 – 40 minutes before using.

In a hot pan place the lamb chops and allow cooking on 1 side before turning. (3 minutes per side).

In a clean heated pan add the butter and once melted, add in your tomatoes, onion and grated garlic.

Allow to sauté for 2 – 3 minutes while constantly stirring to prevent burning or sticking.

Once sautéed, add in your beans along with your seasoning and chopped parsley.

Adjust seasoning accordingly.

Serve.

With a twist on this traditional dish, the recipe allows for a healthier option, as Cannellini beans are part of a healthy diet. These legumes are full of protein and fibre.

The cannellini part of the dish is also versatile as it may also be served cold, as a salad to accompany the lamb chops.

Enjoy!

Oranges and lemons, chocolate and masala – these are the colours that inspire any Autumn wedding décor. With leaves falling and the air becoming slightly cooler, inspiration should be drawn from ones surroundings.

With a focus on each table, the best kept secret is that “simple sells”, so don’t aim for over the top and this can be overkill.

Start with the choice of colour for the overarching theme. For an autumn inspired theme – stick to colours that complement each other such as chocolate and orange or orange and masala and incorporate these colours into the centrepiece on each table.

Guest tables:

For each table, whether they are round of rectangular, choose a display with minimal height as this can become a problem when guests are socialising or trying to see those doing speeches.

Secondly, stick to décor that is easy to get your hands on and for those running on a tight budget, there are ways of selecting inexpensive items. Fruit that incorporates the colour theme, branches, candles and even very simple floral arrangements and battery operated lights to add warmth, can take a load off the budget, if planned carefully. But do ensure that the main table is decorated more attractively as this is certainly the focus for the evening.

To add some quirkiness to the celebration, why not add fun wooden signs and sayings, like “Mr & Mrs” displayed on the main table and even hanging wooden letters (using gut) above each table encouraging love, joy and happiness.

For a beautiful country inspired venue that is gorgeous all year round and can add to the look & feel of your autumn inspired celebration, why not give Granny Mouse Country House & Spa a call on 033 234 4071. Based in the KZN Midlands, they have an in house banqueting team that is sure to make your wedding ideas come to life.