Ripe Deli's greek eggplant, lamb and feta

Sally Greer and Beatnik Publishing

This gorgeous recipe - created by Ripe Deli's talented head chef Pip Wylie - is perfect for a special lunch with friends or an evening meal. Enjoy!

Salad

½ cup	Puy lentils
400 g	Lamb loins, trimmed (Main)
2 Tbsp	Sumac powder
2	Red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
½ tsp	Salt
¼ cup	Olive oil
2	Eggplants, sliced into 2cm thick rounds
1	Red onion, peeled, halved and finely sliced
250 g	Cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup	Flat leaf (Italian) parsley, roughly chopped
½ cup	Fresh mint
½ cup	Salad dressing, use a swwet mustard vinegar dressing
2 cups	Rocket
100 g	Soft goat's cheese, rolled into small balls

Marinade

1 Tbsp	Olive oil
1 Tbsp	Fresh rosemary, finely chopped
4 cloves	Garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp	Salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. Grease and line a baking tray.
3. Cook the lentils.
4. To prepare the marinade, into a small bowl, place all the ingredients, season with freshly ground black pepper and mix well. Add the lamb and turn to coat. Cover with cling film and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
5. In a large bowl, place the sumac, chillies, salt, pepper and olive oil, mix well. Add the eggplant and toss well to coat the eggplant.
6. Transfer to the prepared tray. Bake for approximately 20-30 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and set aside.
7. Place a large frying pan over a high heat with a dash of olive oil. When hot, add the lamb and marinade. Sear the fillets for 1 minute on each side. Reduce the heat and cook for a further 3-5 minutes, depending on whether you like your lamb rare to medium.
8. Remove from the heat and allow the lamb to rest for at least 10 minutes.
9. Place the lamb on a chopping board, slice very thinly and set aside.
10. In a large bowl, place the cooked lentils, eggplant, onion, cherry tomatoes, Italian parsley and mint. Add half the dressing and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
11. On a large serving platter, layer the salad starting with the rocket, then lentil eggplant mix, lamb and goats cheese.
12. Drizzle over the remaining dressing and serve.