Grilled Eggplant, Roasted Tomatoes and Burrata Salad (v) Barbecued Leg of Lamb with Anchovy and Lemon Dressing (gf)

Three of my favourite ingredients combine to make a stunning salad worthy of the Christmas table or simply served outside on the deck with crusty bread and something tasty off the barbecue.

2 medium eggplants, each cut into 4 wedges

olive oil sea salt and ground pepper 2 stems vine tomatoes

1-2 balls burrata, mozzarella, or stracciatella cheese

DRESSING

3 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 teaspoon runny honey

TO SERVE

Crispy Gremolata Crumbs (see recipe below)

small basil leaves to garnish

Butterflying the lamb gives you degrees of ‘doneness’: rare where the meat is thicker and medium to well done in the thinner areas.

1 boned and butterflied leg of lamb (ours was 1.3 kilograms)

2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard sea salt and ground pepper

ANCHOVY AND LEMON DRESSING

½ cup mayonnaise

finely grated zest 1 lemon 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 4 anchovy fillets 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 tablespoons olive oil ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan ½ teaspoon sea salt

Rub the cut side of the lamb with the combined oil, garlic, rosemary and mustard. Leave for at least 1 hour or cover and chill for up to 2 days. Remove from the fridge 1 hour before cooking.

Preheat the hotplate of the barbecue to a medium heat.

Season both sides of the lamb generously with salt and pepper and cook, skin side down, for 15 minutes. Turn over and cook for another 10-15 minutes for medium lamb, or until cooked to your liking. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of your lamb. Transfer to a platter, cover loosely and rest for 10 minutes.

Blitz all the ingredients together with a hand blender or in a small food processor.

DRESSING:

Smear a couple of spoonfuls of the dressing on a serving plate and top with the sliced lamb. Drizzle with a little more dressing, serving the rest separately.

TO SERVE: SERVES 6-8

Drain and rinse 1 x 400-gram tin each of brown lentils and black lentils. Toss with a good drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. Add 4 diced tomatoes and a small handful of parsley or another soft fresh herb. Season with salt and pepper and serve with the lamb.

SERVING SUGGESTION: