Istanbul spiced lamb fillets on smokey eggplant with cooked salsa topping

Name: Istanbul spiced lamb fillets on smokey eggplant with cooked salsa topping
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 340 g Lamb tenderloin, fillet (Main); 1 tsp Smoked paprika; 1 tsp Ground cumin; 1 tsp Ground coriander; ½ tsp Turmeric; ¼ tsp Ground ginger; ¼ tsp Cinnamon; ¼ cup Olive oil; 2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped; ¼ cup Lemon juice; 1 sprinkle Salt & freshly ground pepper; 2 Tbsp Olive oil; ½ large Onions, diced; ½ large Red capsicums, diced; ½ to Red chillies, finely diced; 1 Tbsp Tomato puree; ¼ cup Lemon juice; 1 tsp Honey; ½ cup Chopped fresh coriander, and extra to garnish; ½ cup Fresh mint, chopped; 1 sprinkle Salt & freshly ground pepper; 1 large Eggplant; 1 Tbsp Butter; 1 Tbsp Flour; 1 cup Milk; ½ cup Cheddar cheese, grated; 1 sprinkle Salt & freshly ground pepper

for 2 people

Reader Recipes

By Laura Horrocks

While in Turkey recently we had the pleasure of eating some wonderful dishes, which has inspired me to bring some of the flavours into my New Zealand kitchen, using tender NZ lamb, seasonal vegetables and lemons from my tree.

Ingredients

340 g	Lamb tenderloin, fillet (Main)
1 tsp	Smoked paprika
1 tsp	Ground cumin
1 tsp	Ground coriander
½ tsp	Turmeric
¼ tsp	Ground ginger
¼ tsp	Cinnamon
¼ cup	Olive oil
2 cloves	Garlic, finely chopped
¼ cup	Lemon juice
1 sprinkle	Salt & freshly ground pepper

Cooked Salsa Topping

2 Tbsp	Olive oil
½ large	Onions, diced
½ large	Red capsicums, diced
½ to	Red chillies, finely diced
1 Tbsp	Tomato puree
¼ cup	Lemon juice
1 tsp	Honey
½ cup	Chopped fresh coriander, and extra to garnish
½ cup	Fresh mint, chopped
1 sprinkle	Salt & freshly ground pepper

Smokey Eggplant Mash

1 large	Eggplant
1 Tbsp	Butter
1 Tbsp	Flour
1 cup	Milk
½ cup	Cheddar cheese, grated
1 sprinkle	Salt & freshly ground pepper

Directions

Lamb Combine all the spices except for garlic, lemon juice and black pepper. Rub lamb seasoning spices into lamb and leave for 10 mins. Heat extra oil in pan and sear lamb for 2 to 3 minutes each side then remove from pan. Add lemon juice, garlic and pepper to pan , and stir to just cook the garlic, then pour over the cooked fillets. Cover and rest in a warm place.
Cooked salsa. In the oil gently fry the onion, capsicum, chilli and tomato purée until soft, add the lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper, and stir through the coriander and mint just before serving.
Eggplant mash. Cook eggplants by roasting over a gas flame, or grilling in the oven until soft and the skin is a little blackened. Peel off skin and chop flesh, leaving it fairly chunky. Melt butter in a pot,add flour stirring until bubbling, slowly whisk in milk until smooth and thick, add cheese and eggplant. Season with salt and pepper.
To serve Place the Eggplant Mash on a platter, arrange sliced Lamb Fillets, pour over lamb juices, top with Cooked Salsa and chopped coriander to garnish. As a vegetable side, stirfry some beans in olive oil, add some cherry tomatoes, a teaspoon of honey and .25 cup of lemon juice, toss until tomatoes start cooking, season with salt and pepper.