Creamy Lamb and Two Mushroom Linguine

I think I've mentioned before that the easiest way to get me to cook something is for my wife to mention that she ate this "wonderful dish and really enjoyed it." Nothing gets me into the kitchen faster - oh, except if my kiddies ask for something.

And so, my wife came back home with stories of how she had "tremendously enjoyed" her lunch at some place at work. She went on to describe the thin, juicy pieces of lamb in a lovely creamy sauce blah, blah, blah... I just listened, trying hard to fight these feelings of volunteering to make her something similar. I was just about to say "I'm glad you enjoyed your lunch" when she smiled at me demurely and said "I bet you could make it."

So I did. We went over to my Brother-in-laws for dinner last Sunday and I volunteered to bring dinner. Since his two kids and mine all love pasta, I decided to take up my wife's 'challenge' and make the "Oh so lovely, lamb pasta" that she had been raving on and on about..... (no, really she wasn't that bad)

For want of something better to call it, I call it Creamy Lamb and Two Mushroom Linguine. It had to be Linguine, coz that's what she had at the restaurant and if I had used anything else, she may have said that the linguine was better. And we Can't Have That now, can we?

How did I make this? Quite easy really.

Ingredients
400 g lamb
4 lamb sausages
4 cloves garlic - chopped
2 large onions - sliced
Black Pepper
2 bay leaves
2 tsps basil
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
half a leek -sliced thinly into rounds
200g white button mushrooms
200g swiss brown mushrooms
50 ml cream
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
100 ml milk
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 red capsicum
Salt


Method
Cut the lamb into thin strips then season with salt and pepper. Cut the sausages into thick rounds. Cook the lamb in a little oil until nicely browned. Set aside. In the same pan, cook the sausages. Set aside. Using the same pan again, sautee the garlic and onion with the basil, oregano, bay leaves and thyme. Add in more black pepper if you like. Toss in the leek and continue to sautee. Add in the mushrooms and cook till the juices come out. Throw in the lamb, sausages and the cream and mix well together. Allow to simmer.
Meanwhile, make a roux by heating the butter and adding in the flour, stirring well to combine. Add in the milk and cream together with the nutmeg and cook till thickened. Add this into the lamb mixture and mix well. Let simmer to allow flavours to infuse together.
Just before serving, slice the capsicum thinly and stir it into the hot sauce.

I've never used lamb in a creamy pasta dish before but it was certainly delicious. The lamb sausages made a nice difference too. The kids loved it and my wife was pleased. With that lovely twinkle in her eye, she smiled at me and said, "See? I knew you could do it, and even better too!"

This is also the dish I am taking to the Six Month celebration Party for Presto Pasta Nights hosted by Ruth at onceuponafeast
. Congrats Ruth!

I also made a Pavlova for dessert and took along some of the leftover Daring Bakers Challenge - but I cant tell you what that is since its a secret till the 29th of this month - suffice to say it was delicious!