LAMB MEATBALLS WITH HERBED COUS COUS AND SMOKED AUBERGINE PUREE

This is a very healthy dish, quite well balanced in terms of fresh veg, carbohydrate and protein, low fat content. Substitute the cous cous for rice if you have coeliac disease and no need to use sour cream if you hav lactose intolerance.

Ras el hangout is available in most shops nowadays, but you can substitute with ground cumin, turmeric, nutmeg and mace if you are having trouble finding it.

Serves 2

For the meatballs

Handful of dried juicy apricots

1 clove of garlic

250 grams of minced lamb

Ras-el-Hangout powder

Half a beaten egg

A pinch of salt

For the couscous

1 cup of lamb stock

1 cup of couscous

Handful of flat leaf parsley finely chopped

Handful of mint, finely chopped

Handful of dill, finely chopped

Handful of coriander, finely chopped

1 preserved lemon

Lemon juice

For the aubergine and tahini puree

1 aubergine

1 head of garlic

1 tbsp of Tahini paste

2 tbsp of Sour cream

Salt to taste

Olive oil, enough to reach the desired consistency

For the pickle garnish (optional)

Pomegranate

Pink radish

Caster Sugar

Sumac powder

Salt

For the meatballs

Chop the apricots and mix the garlic paste, lamb, ras el hangout, egg yolk and salt.

Pan fry in some olive oil until charred on the outside and golden brown and cooked through to the centre.

For the couscous

Add the boiling hot stock to the couscous and allow to sit for about 10-15mins until the grains have absorbed all of the water. Now add the finely chopped herbs and preserved lemons and lemon juice.

For the aubergine and tahini puree

Slice the aubergine in half, drizzle with olive oil and place the aubergine in the oven to roast until the flesh is soft. Do the same with a head of garlic. Scoop out the flesh of the aubergine and soft cooked cloves of garlic and mix with tahini paste, sour cream, plenty of salt and some olive oil.

For the pickle

Mix the pomegranate seeds with finely sliced pink radishes and sprinkle over plenty of lemon juice, a sprinkle of sugar and salt with plenty of sumac powder.