Turkish Lamb Green Bean Fritters Served With Cucumber Amp Food

GRILLED TANDOORI LAMB CHOPS AND GREEN BEANS

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to medium high and lightly oil the grates. Mix the tandoori marinade and 1 tablespoon yogurt in a small bowl. Season the lamb chops with salt and pepper. Rub all over with the yogurt mixture. Let sit at room temperature, 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mix the remaining 1/4 cup yogurt with 1 tablespoon water, the cilantro, grated garlic, lemon juice, 2 pinches of salt and a grind of pepper in a small bowl.
• Toss the green beans, tomatoes, vegetable oil, sliced garlic, cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl. Spread out the vegetables on a large sheet of heavy-duty foil. Bring the short ends of the foil together and fold to seal; fold in the sides to form a packet.
• Place the packet on the grill and cook until the vegetables are lightly charred and the tomatoes start to burst, about 10 minutes. Grill the lamb chops 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium doneness. Divide the lamb and vegetables among plates. Top with cilantro and serve with the yogurt sauce.

TURKISH LAMB FLATBREAD

Steps:

• Mix the yeast and 250ml warm water in a small bowl, and leave to stand for 5-10 mins until foamy - this means the yeast is working. Put the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl (or use a tabletop mixer fitted with a dough hook and set at a low speed). Add the yeast mixture and mix by hand or machine until the dough comes together into a ball. If the mixture is too sticky to form a ball, add 2 tbsp flour and mix again. Knead for 12 mins by hand, or 8-10 mins on a high speed in the mixer, until smooth, then put in a lightly oiled bowl. Turn to coat the dough in the oil, cover with cling film and leave in a warm place for 2-4 hrs until doubled in size. (You can also put it in the fridge overnight, punch down and let it rise again at room temperature.)
• Heat the oven to 240C/220C/gas 9. Put a baking sheet or pizza stone on the middle shelf. If you're using lamb leg meat, blitz it in a food processor until it's finely minced. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat until hot. Add the onion and garlic, and cook for 10 mins until golden. Add the lamb and cook for 5 mins or until brown, breaking up any lumps with a spoon, then pour off any excess oil. Add the spices, some seasoning, tomato purée, tomatoes and the pomegranate molasses, and cook for 5 mins more, mixing everything together well and breaking down the tomatoes with a spoon. Remove from the heat and leave to cool completely. Can be done one or two days ahead.
• Roll out the dough on a floured surface into a large rectangle about 30 x 40cm. Sprinkle 1 tsp or so of the semolina on a baking sheet. Put the dough on top and make sure it can move around. Add the spicy lamb first, then top with the red onions, pine nuts and feta. Slide onto the heated baking sheet or pizza stone and cook for 10-15 mins until crisp on the bottom.
• Remove and drizzle with a little extra pomegranate molasses, then scatter over the parsley and pomegranate seeds. Transfer to a large board and cut into diamonds to serve.

TURKISH-STYLE LAMB

Steps:

• Heat grill to high. Season the lamb, then grill for 2 mins on each side until browned, but still very rare. Meanwhile, mix the seasoning, oregano and half of the mint into one of the tubs of yogurt, smother this over the lamb, then return to the grill for another 2-3 mins or until the yogurt is blistered and the meat is cooked to your liking.
• Leave the meat to rest on a board for a few mins while you toast the pittas, shred the lettuce and thinly slice the red onion. Stir the rest of the mint into the second tub of yogurt. Thickly slice the meat and stuff into the pitta bread with the salad and minted yogurt. Squeeze over lemon juice before tucking in, if you like.

SLOW-ROASTED TURKISH LAMB

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut lamb shoulder into 2 or 3 pieces, and place in a shallow 12-by-14-inch roasting pan or similar. Season generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with red pepper, if desired.
• Rub meat with olive oil, lemon juice and pomegranate molasses. Tuck thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, garlic cloves and onion halves here and there. Place in oven, uncovered, and roast for 30 minutes, or until the top is nicely browned.
• Turn meat browned-side down and add 2 cups of water to the pan. Cover tightly with foil or lid. Reduce heat to 325 degrees. Cook, covered, until meat is absolutely fork tender and beginning to fall apart, about 3 1/2 hours total. Uncover during last 30 minutes of cooking if you want to brown the meat a bit more.
• Remove meat to a cutting board. Pour pan juices into a skillet (discard herbs and garlic). Skim and discard excess fat from surface. Bring to a boil and simmer until about a cup remains.
• Chop or shred meat into 1-inch chunks or rough slices. Transfer to a warm platter and pour juices over. (Alternatively, leave meat in pan with reduced juices until ready to serve.) Garnish with persimmon and pomegranate (if using), parsley, mint and lemon wedges. Serve yogurt on the side.

TURKISH LAMB & GREEN BEAN FRITTERS SERVED WITH CUCUMBER &

Steps:

• Fritters.
• Heat a frying pan, add a little oil and then the lamb mince and cook for 5-8 minutes till the lamb is lightly browned and crumbly. Remove from the heat and set aside on a plate to cool.
• Slice the beans into 5mm rounds and blanch by cooking in plenty of boiling salted water for 2 minutes. Drain and plunge into ice-cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain well then dry on paper towels. Toss the beans in a bowl with the flour until coated with flour.
• Combine the beans with the cooked lamb mince and then mix in the eggs, coriander, allspice and cinnamon, and season well with salt and pepper.
• Heat a large non-stick frying pan with enough oil to shallow-fry the fritters. Cook tablespoonfuls of the mixture for 1-2 minutes or until each fritter has set and then turn over to lightly brown the other side. Remove fritters to drain on paper towels.
• Cucumber & Yoghurt Sauce.
• Halve the cucumber and then remove the seeds by running a teaspoon down the central seed canal. Discard seeds. Coarsely grate the cucumber flesh and mix with the yoghurt and mint. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Makes 11/2 cups.
• To Serve
• Serve fritters warm with the yoghurt and cucumber sauce for dipping. Makes 20.