Northern and the southern hemispheres combined in one dish. The aromatic flavours of the middle east, the fresh and simplistic flavours of Greece and the show stopper....NZ lamb and stunning seasonal produce. This dish is light and summery with a soothing depth and warmth from the spices. Hope you like it as much as I do!
Set your oven to 200 degrees C. Start by making the tzatziki. Peel and cur your cucumber in half, lengthways. Use a tsp. to scrape out the seeds. Cut into long strips and than chop into roughly 5mm x 5mm pieces. Set aside in a small bowl. Mash your ½ garlic clove into a paste using a little salt to help break it down. Add the garlic 4 tbsp. of Greek yoghurt, 1 tbsp. lemon juice and 2 tbsp. of fresh chopped dill to the cucumber bowl and mix well with a spoon. Cover and set aside in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the recipe.
Roast the cumin and coriander seeds in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for 2 to three minutes. When they start to smell fragrant, tip them into a coffee grinder of pestle and mortar and grind into a powder. If you like you can use pre-ground spices. They will have more flavor if you grind them freshly though. Sprinkle the ground spices onto a plate with the ½ tsp. of salt, making sure the spices and salt are distributed evenly. High heat an ovenproof frying pan on the stovetop. Dry the mini lamb roasts using handee towel. Coast all sides of the lamb with the spice mix. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the frying pan and pop the lamb, skin side down into the pan to brown on all sides. You're only sealing and browning the lamb in the pan not cooking it so when it is nicely browned pop it into the oven and cook for a further 13-14 minutes. Remove your broad beans from their pods and place into a pan of boiling water and cook for four minutes. Drain into a colander or a sieve and run under cold water to stop them from cooking further. When the beans are cold, pinch the skin and remove before setting the bright green beans aside in another bowl. Add the chopped preserved lemon to the bowl and set aside. Remove the lamb from the even and allow it to rest on a chopping board for 8-10 minutes. High heat a frying pan on the stovetop. Was and cut your asparagus into 4 cm long pieces. They look really pretty if you cut them on an angle. Add a splash of oil and the asparagus to the frying pan and cook for three minutes, until they are tender but still have a bit of crunch. Add the asparagus, lemon juice and olive oil to the broad bean and preserved lemon bowl and give all the ingredients a gentle stir to combine. Cut your lamb into 1cm slices and place in the center of your plate. Surround the lamb with the asparagus and broad bean mixture, sprinkle with the pomegranate seed and mint. Drizzle the tzatziki over the lamb and sprinkle with a little sumac powder and a few dill leaves. Cumin and coriander crusted lamb with broad beans, asparagus pomegranate seeds and dill tzatziki
