Lamb rib roll with stuffed aubergine

Serves 6

Preparation time 20 minutes Cooking time 1½ hours

You need

• about 1 kg deboned lamb ribs

• 1 tablespoon brown vinegar

• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed

• salt and ground black pepper, to taste

• 300 g lamb sausage or lamb mince you season yourself

• 2 medium-sized aubergines

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• big pinch of ground cumin

• 1 tin (410 g) chickpeas

• 2 tablespoons pomegranate concentrate •

lemon juice, to serve (optional)

• fresh herbs, to taste (optional)

Here’s how

1 Put the rib roll on a clean chopping board with the fatty side facing down. Rub the vinegar, coriander seeds, salt and pepper into the meat. Remove the casing from the sausage and put the meat lengthwise along the centre of the ribs as a filling. Roll up the meat and secure with kitchen twine.

2 Quickly braai the lamb roll over hot coals to brown and then move the grid higher above the coals. Braai the roll slowly for about an hour or until the meat is tender and the fatty layer is crisp. (Use a rotisserie basket to cook this cut of meat if you don’t want to keep such a close eye on it. You can also cook the roll in a kettle braai.) 3 Use a fork to prick the aubergines all over. Braai the aubergines over hot coals for about 45 minutes or until the flesh is tender. Remove from the heat and let them cool down slightly.

4 Cut the aubergines in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh – take care not to tear the skin. Fry the flesh in a little olive oil with the paprika, cumin and chickpeas until flavoursome. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Scoop the filling back into the aubergine skins or into a dish. It’s delicious with roast lamb and a drizzle of pomegranate concentrate, lemon juice, fresh mint and coriander.