FEAST
Put a fresh spin on a Kiwi favourite with this herbalicious dish – juicy lamb with golden eggplant, lentils and fragrant herb relish
Lamb Cutlets with Lentils, Eggplant and Fresh Herb Relish
12 lamb cutlets (we used the Blue Sky Butchery Frenched Rack)
2 teaspoons each ground turmeric and smoked paprika
sea salt and ground pepper
2 large eggplants, sliced into 1½cm-thick rounds
olive oil
HERB RELISH 1 packed cup roughly chopped rocket leaves
⅓ packed cup each parsley and mint
¼ cup olive oil 2 tablespoons drained capers
2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon sea salt ¼ teaspoon caster sugar
TO SERVE
1 cup thick plain yoghurt
400-gram tin brown lentils, drained and rinsed
1 small red onion, very thinly sliced
mint, dill and toasted sesame seeds
Sprinkle both sides of the cutlets with the combined spices and season with salt. Brush both sides of the eggplant rounds with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Heat a large sauté pan with a little olive oil and cook the eggplant on both sides until golden and tender. Set aside.
Heat a little more olive oil in the pan and cook the cutlets for about 2 minutes each side for medium-rare, or until done to your liking.
HERB RELISH: Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blitz until finely chopped.
TO SERVE: Spread the yoghurt over a serving platter and top with the lentils, eggplant and the cutlets. Top with dollops of relish, red onion, herbs and sesame seeds.
SERVES 4