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Tabbouleh, lamb burgers, cucumber in yoghurt by David Tanis. DONE!

I said I would try this .... and I did

not spectacular but a very nice and pretty healthy combination

Tabbouleh

A proper tabbouleh is a parsley salad with a little bulgur wheat, not the other way around, as many people know it.


SERVES 4-6

bulgur wheat 100g
salt and pepper
lemons juice of 2, or to taste
spring onions 4, finely minced
mint leaves a small bunch, finely chopped
olive oil 60ml, or to taste
parsley leaves 2 large bunches, coarsely chopped
cherry tomatoes 450g, halved (I quartered mine because I thought they looked too big)

Method

Soak the bulgur in cold water for 30 minutes.
Dump the grains in a colander and give it a good shake to drain.
Put the bulgur in a bowl, and begin to assemble the tabbouleh: season the grains generously with salt and pepper, then stir in the lemon juice and toss well.
Add the spring onions and mint and toss.
Drizzle in 3 tablespoons of the oil, and then taste and adjust the seasoning. Add half the parsley and mix well.
Spoon the tabbouleh on to a platter, and sprinkle the rest of the parsley over the top. Put the tomatoes in a bowl, season with salt and pepper and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, and spoon them over the top of the salad ( I mixed them in)



Spicy lamb burgers with grilled aubergines


These pan-Mediterranean lamb burgers are spicy and fragrant. If you have a nice butcher, get him to mince the lamb for you. I like to use minced shoulder for these burgers.

Makes approx 12 burgers

For the burgers:

minced lamb shoulder 1.3kg
onion 1 small, grated
chopped parsley 1⁄2 bunch, chopped
mint 2 tbsp, finely chopped
marjoram 2 tsp, finely chopped
garlic cloves 6, smashed to a paste with a little salt
cumin seeds 2 tsp, toasted and ground
coriander seeds 2 tsp, toasted and ground
ground cinnamon 1 tsp
salt 2 tsp
pepper 1 tsp
cayenne 1⁄2 tsp
red pepper flakes 1⁄2 tsp
For the aubergines:
aubergines 3 large, sliced into 1cm-thick circles
olive oil 2 tbsp
salt and pepper

Method

To make the burgers, mix the lamb and all the remaining ingredients together well. Chill for several hours. (You can season the lamb a day ahead and refrigerate overnight.)
When you're ready to serve, prepare a fire in a charcoal grill. Paint the aubergine slices with the olive oil and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Grill the slices over hot coals for about 2 minutes per side. Remove to a large serving platter.
Divide the seasoned lamb into 24 portions. form patties and cook them like burgers. Grill over hot coals, turning once, about 3 minutes per side, so the lamb stays juicy. Put the burgers over the aubergine slices on the platter and serve.

Cucumbers and yoghurt


You can think of this as a salad or as a saucy accompaniment to everything else on the menu. I like it on the more yoghurty side, but you could add twice as much cucumber.

SERVES 4-6

cucumber 1 large, peeled, sliced and cut into half moons
salt and pepper
whole-milk yoghurt 490g
garlic clove 1, smashed to a paste with salt
olive oil 2 tbsp
mint 1 tbsp, chopped
dill 1 tbsp, chopped
chives 1 tbsp, chopped
red pepper flakes or slivered fresh
hot chilli

Method

Put the cucumber in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the yoghurt, garlic, olive oil, mint, dill and chives and stir it all together. Spoon into a bowl and chill for at least an hour. Before serving, sprinkle with pepper flakes or slivers of fresh hot chilli.

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