Recipes and photography by Belinda MacDonald
Serves 4-5
Lamb rubbed with spices then cooked slowly makes for a great centrepiece for a meal. All you need to go with it is some yoghurt, fresh herbs and haloumi flatbread, and away you go… Let the lambgasms begin.
2 kilograms boneless lamb shoulder or leg
2 cups beef stock
4 stems of fresh curry leaves
Baharat marinade
6 fresh bay leaves
¼ cup baharat spice mix
½ cup plain unsweetened yoghurt
4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon miso paste
2 anchovies
30cm sprig of fresh rosemary, leaves stripped from the stem
Zest and juice of lemon
To serve
Plain unsweetened yoghurt
Muhammara (see recipe below)
Pomegranate jewels
Fresh mint and dill leaves
Haloumi Flatbreads (see recipe below)
For the marinade, place all the ingredients in a blender and blitz together, then rub all over your lamb shoulder. Cover and leave to sit in the fridge overnight.
Preheat the oven to 140°C.
Heat a large ovenproof casserole dish or frying pan directly on the hob and sear your lamb for 2-3 minutes on each side to create a crust. Add in your stock and curry leaves and cover. Transfer to the oven and cook for 5 hours. Allow to rest for 20-25 minutes, then use two forks to pull the meat apart.
To plate up, place a lug of yoghurt on each plate, spoon over some muhammara and nestle pieces of pulled juicy lamb onto this bed, drizzling over any extra pan juices. Sprinkle over some pomegranate and fresh mint and dill for brightness. Serve with the flatbreads to mop up all the juice.
Muhammara
Makes 2 1/2 cups
This spicy, smoky, slightly sweet, tart and savoury Lebanese dip is made with blistered red capsicums, roasted walnuts and sumac. It’s fabulous with flatbreads and matches beautifully with lamb or when swirled through yoghurt.
4 red capsicums
1 cup walnuts
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle on top
1 tablespoon tahini
1 teaspoon sumac
1 teaspoon ground cumin
pinch of dried chilli flakes, to taste
¼ cup fresh pomegranate jewels, to garnish
You can either char your capsicums directly over a gas hob until they are blackened and burnished, or roast them in a 200°C oven for about 30 minutes, turning occasionally.
While the capsicums are cooking, place the walnuts on a baking tray and roast for 6-8 minutes until lightly golden. Chop a few walnuts and set them aside for garnish.
Once the capsicums are charred, leave them to cool before slipping off their burnt skin and deseeding them. Place
the capsicums in a food processor with the remaining ingredients to create a chunky dip. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Pile up the dip on a plate, drizzle with extra olive oil and garnish with the reserved walnuts and pomegranate.
The dip will keep happily in the fridge for up to 5 days, but bring it to room temperature before serving.
Haloumi Flatbreads
Makes 6-8 depending on size
These super-easy, family-fave flatbreads are so versatile. They make great pizza bases and toasties, but are especially good when served with a saucy dish to mop up any juices.
200 grams haloumi, grated
2 cups almond flour
3 eggs
1 tablespoon coconut flour
1½ tablespoons psyllium husks
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Za’atar, to sprinkle on top
Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, except the za’atar, and divide the dough into 6-8 balls.
Using wet hands to prevent the dough from sticking to them, push the doughballs out to create flat mini pita pocket-sized rounds (or whatever size you fancy). Sprinkle with za’atar and place in the fridge until you are ready to bake.
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Bake the flatbreads for about 10-15 minutes, until golden brown. Cool slightly before serving.
This is an edited extract from Flavour Kiss by Belinda MacDonald (Penguin), $50. Photography by Belinda MacDonald.
