MOROCCAN-SPICED LAMB CUTLETS WITH TABBOULEH

Prep time: 15 minutes, Cook time: 5 minutes

Serves 4

When I was visiting my friend Sami, whose Massaya winery is in Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley, we were out enjoying lunch and the most perfect tabbouleh arrived at the table. I noticed that it had a very small amount of grain in it, whereas over the years many of the versions I’ve eaten have been close to half grain and half herbs.

I asked Sami why it differs from country to country and restaurant to restaurant. ‘It’s a sign of wealth,’ he explained. The more cracked wheat that’s added, bulking out the salad and taking away from the freshness of the herbs, the less expensive it is.

Anyway, I do love a beautifully made tabbouleh either as part of a mezze spread or served alongside meat or fish.

INGREDIENTS For the tabbouleh

– 2 tsp bulgur wheat, soaked in boiling water for an hour

– 2 spring onions, halved lengthways and finely chopped – 2 tomatoes, finely

chopped

– 30g parsley, roughly

chopped

– 30g mint, roughly

chopped

– juice of 1 lemon

– 2 tbsp extra-virgin

olive oil

For the lamb

– 1 tsp ground cumin – 1 tsp paprika – ½ tsp ground

cinnamon

– ½ tsp ground ginger – finely grated zest

of 1 lemon

– 8 lamb cutlets

– a little vegetable or

corn oil, for frying

METHOD

Drain the bulgur wheat and mix with the rest of the ingredients for the tabbouleh. Season to taste.

For the lamb, mix together the spices and lemon zest. Season the cutlets with salt and pepper and sprinkle over the spice mix.

Heat a little oil on a ribbed griddle pan, barbecue or heavy frying pan. Cook the cutlets for 2-3 minutes on each side, keeping them nice and pink. Divide the tabbouleh and cutlets between plates and serve.