HOW TO MAKE ZA'ATAR

Za'atar is a fragrant combination of herbs and spices widely used all across the Middle East.  Traditionally sprinkled over pizza or pita bread, it is also used in many meats and even vegetable dishes.

There is a great amount of recipes of how to make Za’atar on the Internet, however, to my great surprise, none of them are the same.  Each author has his own interpretation of this condiment; hence here is my version of preparing Za'atar:

You need:

1 tbsp of almonds

1 tbsp of pistachio nuts

½ of coriander seeds

1/3 tsp of fennel seeds

1/3 tsp of black peppercorns

½ tsp of smoked paprika

½ tsp of sesame seeds

½ tsp of salt

Method:
Heat almonds and pistachio nuts to release their flavour and then cooled down, crush finely with a mortar and pestle into a fine dust.  Don't worry if you are left with some chunks, they are good for texture and some crunch.  Transfer it to a small airtight container.  If you don't have a mortar and pestle at home or find it is a hard work, just use the blender or an old coffee grinder.

Heat all the seeds together with peppercorns, grind them in the mortar and pestle and add to the jar.  Sprinkle with salt, add paprika and give it a good shake.  

Use this aromatic concoction by sprinkling it over the the salad, on your avo sandwich or as a snack.  Just fill one small dish with olive oil, another - with balsamic vinegar and a spoon of Za'atar in the the third.  Place them in a middle of a table together with a basket of good crusty bread and let your guests help themselves by dipping the bread into oild and vinegar first and then some of Za'atar.

Enjoy!!!

EGGS IN PURGATORY

If you, like me, live in an area over populated by trendy coffee shops with bearded baristas flexing their muscles and exhibiting their tats while fixing your organic coffee latte, and then I bet, you will find one of the most common staples on every menu, Egg Shakshouka.  For those who have never heard about this newest fixation, it is an egg dish served for breakfast all over the Middle East, it is traditionally served in a cast iron pan with pita bread on the side to mop up the eggs and the spicy sauce. 

However, I am calling mine “Eggs in Purgatory”.  Actually, it does not matter what you call it, the principle remains, it is tasty, spicy, satisfactory and an easy to cook at home dish.  And so here is how to cook your Eggs in Purgatory.

To feed 2 people you need:

4 eggs

½ tin of chopped tomatoes

1 small red onion

1 red capsicum (bell pepper) finely chopped

Olive oil

Freshly chopped parsley

¼ tsp of chili flakes

½ tsp of smoked paprika (available in the spice section of your supermarket)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pita or flat bread

1 tsp of Za’atar (click on "Za'atar" if you want to make your own, it is dead easy)

Method:

Chop the red onion very finely.  Heat the oil in a frying pan on a low heat and sauté the onions until they are soft and translucent.   While the onions are cooking, finely chop the capsicum and add it to the pan, cook until soft.  Pour over the tomatoes, add salt, black pepper, paprika and chili flakes and toss everything together and cook for about 5 minutes until all the flavours are well incorporated; taste it and adjust the seasoning. 

While the eggs are cooking, get the bread ready.  If you don’t have any pita or flat bread at home, just toast a slice of normal bread to add a little bit of crunch to it.  I also like to sprinkle it with Za’atar, a typical Middle Eastern spice (you can make your own, it is dead easy) to make it more flavoursome.   

Make four wells in the mixture and carefully crack four eggs.  Don’t worry if the eggs are not perfect, they will taste delicious anyway.  Cook the eggs to your liking, transfer to warm plates, sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve.  Serve the bread on the side for mopping.

Enjoy!!!

ASIAN SLAW

Despite the presence of Asian ingredients and flavours, I quite often prepare this salad to serve it with grilled steak or roast chicken; the spices are not so strong as to overpower the main dish, rather they add an extra dimension and excitement to the whole meal.  As I explained previously, in my cosmopolitan cooking I don't necessarily adhere to any Asian cuisine in particular but rather enjoy the presence of unusual flavours and ingredients.

Now, that I have cleared that up, let me go back to the preparation of the salad.

To feed 8 people you need:

 ½ head of medium white cabbage

2 red capsicums

A bunch of green onions

1/2 cup of chopped coriander

1 tbsp of sesame seeds (black or white)

Dressing:

4 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp of sesame oil

1 tsp of brown sugar

2 tbsp of lime juice (I use the ready made one)

1 tsp of water

2 tbsp of soy sauce

Method:

Pre-heat a small pan on medium high and roast the sesame seeds until golden brown.  If you using black ones, just warm them up to release the flavours.

Get a big salad bowl and using a potato peeler, start shaving off the cabbage discarding the core.  Remove the seeds from the capsicum and repeat the process.  The reason I am using a peeler is not for presentation purposes only but also as the thinner the vegetables, the more flavour they absorb.

Next, slice the green onions diagonally into 2 cm pieces and add them to the bowl together with chopped coriander.  

Combine all the ingredients for the dressing into a small jar with a lid and give it a good shake.  Taste it and adjust the seasoning if needed, aiming for a perfect balance of saltiness and sweetness with just enough of a hint of the clean taste of the lime juice and a hit from the chilies.

This salad is a good accompaniment to a fish dish with similar flavours.  You can find the recipe in the post called "Asian infused barramundi".

Enjoy!!!

ASIAN INFUSED BARRAMUNDI

I love Asian food, Thai and Vietnamese are my favourites.  However, when I cook an "Asian dish" I will not be able to tell you what cuisine I am following exactly.  As the name of my blog suggests, I am a cosmopolitan cook with a strong Eastern European background, however if you raid my pantry, you will find the usual suspects from the Asian food aisle of my local supermarket:  soy and fish sauces, brown sugar, tamarind paste, lime juice, sesame oil and few others items that define my Asian menu.  My main purpose is not to adhere to one particular cuisine but rather use usual flavours to spice up otherwise same old, same old dishes and add some excitement to everyday's meals.




However, one thing I learned while watching cooking shows is that the key to Asian cooking is the importance of balancing the flavours of sweet and sour, salty and pungent and that is my aim.This may sound quite vague to you, but I have a good reason for it being that I can't always be certain on what cuisine I am cooking simply because I find that is not easy to stick to any one in particular.  What I do know is that once I replaced salt and pepper for soy or fish sauce and chilies, I stepped away from continental cooking and was on the verge of entering into the world of aromatic spices, bunches of fresh exotic herbs and delicious flavours.

The recipe of the dish I am about to share with you requires the use of herbs and spices that are easily found in the Asian aisle of your local supermarket or at the fresh vegetables section.

To feed 8 people you need:

3-4 barramundi fillets, about 15-200 gr per person

1 tbs of coriander seeds

1/2 tsp of tumeric (it gives the fish a beautiful saffron colour)

1 small red chili (fresh or flakes)

2 tbs of soy sauce

1 tsp of grated ginger

1 tbs of tamarind paste

2 tbs of olive oil

1 tsp of sesame oil

2 bunches of bok choy washed and trimmed

3 tbs of fish sauce

2 tsp of brown sugar

1/2 cup of coriander leaves finely chopped

I normally buy three fillets for my family of four based on the fact that each person gets one half of the fillet and if someone wants seconds, there’s the third fillet, otherwise some lucky person will get it for lunch the next day.  In other words, it all depends on whether your family members are big or small eaters.

Method:

Heat a pan on top of the stove and warm up the coriander seeds for a few minutes to release their flavour, then crush them in a mortar and pestle.   In a bowl, combine all the ingredients except the bok choy, and a taste it. Make sure that the sweetness and sourness are balanced and the salt and hit are in good measure.

Place the fish into the bowl and massage the mixture into it. Leave it to marinate for an hour or, if time allows, even overnight, .

When the time comes to cook the fish, you can either do it on a barbecue or in the oven. Both methods are good but I prefer to do it on the barbecue, one- to get that extra smokey flavour and two- avoid the fish smell in your kitchen.

Option1. Pre-heat your barbecue to 180c. Take a roll of cooking aluminium foil and cut as many pieces as you have fish.  Trim and wash bok choy and place a couple of leaves on each piece, then place a piece of fish on top, spoon a bit of sauce, fold into a parcel securing the edges as you go.

Place on the preheated BBQ and grill for about 10 min.  Open up slightly one of the parcels and pry open the flesh to see if it is cooked.  Bear in mind that the fish will continue cooking after you take it off.

Once cooked, remove the fish and bok choy from the parcels onto warm plates.  For a casual family dinner, I like to place the fish onto a big serving plate and place it in the middle of the table next to a big bowl of Asian style coleslaw (link) for everyone to share.  For a more official occasion, I suggest individual plating. 

Option 2. Pre-heat the oven at 180c, cover an oven tray with the sheet of aluminium foil, lay it with the washed and trimmed bok choy and place the fish on top.  Spoon the dressing and place in the oven for about 10-15 min.  After 10 min, take a fork and pry open the thickest part of the fish.  It should be slightly pink and translucent. Remove from the oven.  Serve as above.  

Serve the fish with the Asian slaw.  Enjoy!!!

YOUNG BOILED POTATOES + GARLIC BUTTER AND DILL

This recipe is much lighter and healthier option then traditional roasted or fried potatoes, yet it is delicious, easy to prepare and goes well with a lot of main dishes, such as meat, chicken.  I, personally, love to serve them with the fish, especially when I am cooking my signature Backed Salmon Lebanese Style with Tahini Yogurt.  Not only potatoes and fish is match made in haven but also the modest spud is playing a second fiddle letting salmon to take the centre stage on the table.

To feed 8 people you need:

1kg of young potatoes (wash and unpeeled)

2 tbs of finely chopped dill

2 cloves of garlic

3-4 tbs of extra virgin olive oil

1 tbs of butter

Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Method:

As I said, simplicity is the key – boil a pot of salted water, carefully put the potatoes in the water and cook them until tender, around 20 minutes.  Drain the water but keep the spuds in the pot, then splash a few lugs of extra virgin olive oil, add a knob of butter, sea salt, if desired, otherwise ordinary salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Place the lid back on and give the potatoes a good toss.  Lastly, add finely chopped dill and crushed garlic.  I love garlic and I use a lot of it but if you are not a big fan – by all means, leave it out.
Gently shake the pot few times to let the butter melt and cover the spuds and then empty it onto the plate.  Serve immediately.

Enjoy!!!

WHOLE BAKED SALMON LEBANESE STYLE + YOUNG BOILED POTATOES

This time of a year is not called the festive season for nothing:  there are so many reasons for celebrations such as Christmas, of course, Chanukkah, the end of yet another year, New Year night - to name just the few.  And it is in the spirit of the season that we go out of our way to delight our friends and families with carefully chosen gifts and scrumptious meals. Here is the menu that I have chosen to impress my guests.  You can find this menu and other entertaining ideas by clicking on the "Entertainment" page.

MENU

Fresh oysters with balsamic vinaigrette

Baby beetroot, baby broccoli and blue cheese salad with mustard dressing

Whole baked salmon Lebanese style with tahini yogurt

Young boiled potatoes with garlic butter and dill

Chocolate Pots

I am sure I could speak for most of the cooks here that we all have our signature dishes, the ones that our guests enjoy and praise the most, the ones that we love cooking time and time again or on the other hand cook for special occasions only and feel very protective if another cook asks us for the recipe.   Want to know what mine is?  It is a whole salmon cooked on the barbecue and served with yogurt and tahina paste and garnished with fresh herbs and spices.  This dish is my secret weapon to impress my guests and win their tick of approval.

Add fresh oysters and beetroot salad  for the entree and chocolate pots served individually in an espresso cup for dessert and you have got a perfect menu for entertaining your family and friends during the festive season. 

For 8-10 people you will need:

One whole fish approx 2 -2.5 kg (scaled and cleaned without the head)

100 grm tahina paste

200 grm of natural yogurt

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

2 cloves of garlic

½ cup of chopped dill

½ cup of chopped mint

½ cup of chopped coriander

1 medium red chili de-seeded (optional)

½ cup of chopped walnuts

Juice of 2 lemons

1 cup of extra virgin olive oil

If the fish is heavier then I need, I ask the fishmonger to cut it in half along the spine into two halves.  So I can still cook one half, just reduce the cooking time to fifteen minutes. As for the other half, I ask him to portion it into fillets that I will freeze and cook at another time.  And when I am serving the fish, if I only have a half I put it on the plate flat side down.

You can cook the fish in an oven but I find it that the BBQ option is more flavoursome and it is also prevents my kitchen from smelling like a fishmonger’s shop for days. 

Method:

Preheat the BBQ to 180º C.  Clean the fish and pat it dry.  Cut 2 pieces of tinfoil about twice the length of the fish and spread them on the kitchen bench slightly overlapping each other.  Repeat the same process with baking paper and place it on top of the tinfoil.  Sprinkle the paper with extra virgin olive oil, season the fish with salt and pepper on both sides, place a bunch of fresh aromatic herbs inside the cavity (whatever you can find:  dill, parsley, coriander).  Place the fish diagonally on top of the baking paper and wrap it tightly as if it were a baby, tucking in all the edges.  Place the parcel on a baking tray and put on the BBQ grill and close the the lid.  Cook with the lid down for 20 minutes on each side for medium rare maintaining the temperature at 180º C.  Bring inside and open up the foil to prevent further cooking.

While the fish is cooking, prepare the paste by mixing tahina with yogurt, crushed garlic and lemon juice into a smooth consistency.  Next, chop coriander, walnuts, red onion, red chili, and mint and mix them all together, add lemon juice, a splash of olive oil, salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.  

Going back to the fish – gently scrape the skin off the fish, it actually removes very easily, then running a spoon along the spine remove the gray jelly-like fat.  Carefully transfer the fish onto a plate leaving the foil and paper behind.  Spread the paste on one side of the fish covering as much of the fish as it permits and spoon the salad over the paste pressing it lightly together. 

Serve with young boiled potatoes.

Enjoy!!!

BABY BEETROOT + BROCCOLINI + BLUE CHEESE SALAD WITH MUSTARD DRESSING

This salad is great for an entree or as an accompaniment to the fresh oysters as a starter.  Lots of recipes call for the beetroot to be roasted first but I prefer to use canned baby beetroot.  All the beats are of the same bite size that is perfect for presentation and their piquant taste goes very well with the mustard dressing.

You need: (for 6-8 people)

400 gr can of baby beetroot

Bunch of broccolini (if using regular broccoli, use florets only)

100 gr of your favourite blue cheese

5-6 stalks of spring onions (thinly sliced on the diagonal)

1 tbs of fresh parsley (finely chopped)

Dressing:

5-6 spoons extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon seeded mustard

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon honey

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

Sea salt

Freshly grounded black pepper

Method:
Cook the broccolini in salted water until just tender and then place in a bowl of icy water to stop the cooking process and preserve their colour; once cooled - pat them dry.  Chop the beets into halves, finely slice the spring onions and parsley and combine all the vegetables in a big bowl.   In a screw top jar combine all the ingredients for the dressing, shake well and taste.  The dressing should be a perfect balance of sweetness, tartness and sharpness and, of course, to your liking.  Pour over the salad, give it a toss and crumble the blue cheese on top.   

Enjoy!!!

FRESH OYSTERS + BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

Fresh oysters is a great opening dish for any occasion, their clean pristine flesh reminds us of the ocean, it excites our taste buds and it adds a sense of luxury, carefree la dolce vita to the table.  And that is the main reason why they are always a first item on the menu in every respected Sydney establishment.

The beauty of oysters is that they don't require cooking, although I like to serve them with some tasty vinaigrette or simply with the wedge of a lemon on the side.

For 8 people you need:

3 dozen oysters (I am being generous here)

1 shallot chopped very finely

5 tbs of balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon of lemon juice

¼ teaspoon of white sugar

½ teaspoon of light soy sauce

Freshly cracked black pepper

Method:
Arrange the oysters on a bed of crashed ice or rock salt slice the lemon into wedges and place it between the oysters, pour vinaigrette in a small round dish and place it in the centre of the plate.

Enjoy!

FISH PIE A LA JAMIE OLIVER

Last week for the first time ever I cooked a fish pie.  It was the usual family Friday gathering and I had no idea of what I was going to cook.  Then one day I was watching one of the cooking episodes with Jamie Oliver  and he was cooking a fish pie for his pals coming over to dinner.  The simplicity of the recipe and the limited number of ingredients and the cooking time made this dish sound very appealing so I decided to give it a try.

For 8 people you need:

10 middle sized Desiree potatoes

300 grams of strong cheddar cheese

500 of fish fillets (I like to use salmon)

200 grams of raw prawns, peeled and deveined

200 grams of hot smoked mackerel

Chili flakes (optional)

Olive oil

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

4 ripe tomatoes, cubed (optional)

A bunch of parsley

1 cup of finely chopped spring onions (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200 Celsius.  Peel and place potatoes in salted water and cook until tender and drain.  Add the olive oil and mash them into a smooth puree.

Slice the salmon into bite size pieces, place them into a baking dish, crumble the mackerel and add to the salmon together with chopped tomatoes, finely sliced green onions, chopped parsley and grated cheese.  

Season with salt and pepper, pour over lemon juice, sprinkle with chili flakes and grated lemon zest and give it a good mix.  Adjust the seasoning to your liking, spread the mixture evenly on the dish and then cover with the potato mash using a spatula to ensure the layer is even throughout.  

Take a fork and holding it lightly and using it like an imaginary pencil, draw a wavy pattern over the surface of the mash as you go.  This will not only make the dish look pretty but adds extra layers of texture to the crunch.

Place the dish in the oven and bake for approximately 40 minutes or until the top is golden and crispy. 

I like to accompany it with the orange, fennel  and rocket leave leaves salad, the flavours and textures of both dishes seems to match each other very well.

Enjoy!

ORANGES, FENNEL AND ROCKET LEAVES SALAD

This salad is a delicious fusion between the sweetness of the orange, sharp aniseed flavour  of the fennel and peppery taste of the rocket salad.  You've got an interesting blend of different textures working together harmoniously and delivering fresh crisp accompaniment to any meat, poultry or a fish dish.  This salad is packed with vitamins, very healthy and is good on its own as a vegan or vegetarian option.

For 8 people you need:

4 oranges

1 medium size fennel bulb

1 small red onion 

1 packet of rocket leaves

100 gr of pitted Kalamata or black olives (optional)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

Method:
Peel and slice the oranges into the bite sized chunks.  Try to do it over the bowl to catch up the juices. Then thinly slice the fennel and read onion, add rocket leaves and give everything a good toss.  Add a good splash of extra virgin olive oil, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle the olives on top.  

Enjoy!

ROAST VEGETABLES WITH MIDDLE EASTERN FLAVOURS

This vegetable dish takes very little preparation, cooks very quickly and goes well with any meat or poultry but do try to serve them with the Roasted Rack of Lamb with similar flavours.

 It can easily be changed into an Italian version with a splash of white wine and 2-3 anchovies tucked here and there, a couple of fresh ripe tomatoes cut into chunks and a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley.  If you love herbs, add a few sprigs of thyme or rosemary and chunks of lemon.  As for vegetables, add as little or as much as you like, just keep them to a similar size for even cooking.

If you happen to have leftover vegetables, add them to the cooked cous-cous and you have a totally new dish for your next day dinner.

You need for 8 people:

2 red capsicums cut into 1cm strips

1 yellow capsicum cut into 1cm strips

200 gr of brown mushrooms roughly cut

1 medium size red onion sliced into wedges

1 head of garlic, cloves peeled and lightly squashed with a lat knife

1 small eggplant

1/4 pumpkin cut into 3 cm chunks

2 vne ripe tomatoes cut into quarters

2 ts of smoked paprika

2 ts of sumac

1/2 ts of harissa paste
1/2 of  pomegranate

Freshly chopped coriander leaves

Olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 180 C. I once watched Nigella Lawson preparing vegetables for the roasting.  What she did what she put all the ingredients together into the plastic bag and gave them a good mix.  And that's exactly what I do now, as the result all the vegetables are coated evenly in oil and spices and it is much easier to mix them while they are in a bag rather then on the oven tray.

And so, place all the chopped vegetables in a big plastic bowl olive oil, spices, salt and pepper and give it a good toss so all the vegetables get covered, then spread on a roasting tray and place in the oven.  Check after 10 minutes and add a splash of water to keep the vegetables moist.  Roast for about 15-20 minutes and give it a taste.  Once the vegetables are cooked, transfer them onto a plate and sprinkle over with freshly chopped coriander and pomegranate pips.
Enjoy!!!

WATERMELON, PERSIAN FETA AND ROCKET LEAVES SALAD

The vibrancy of colours in this salad is a true celebration of summer and the taste, as implorable as it might sound, is utterly delicious, both savoury and refreshingly sweet at the same time.  If you, like me. like the taste of chili, add a few sprinkles of it and let the hit elevated this dish to a totally new level.  Its flavours match beautifully with any meat or poultry dishes, particularly with ones cooked using Mediterranean or Middle Eastern spices.

You need (for 8 people)

1.5 kilogrammes of a seedless ripe watermelon

100 gr of Persian feta

Half a bunch of coriander leaves finely chopped
Small red onion finely sliced into semicircles

200 gr of rocket leaves

1 tbs of chopped mint leaves

a sprinkle of chili flakes (optional)
Extra virgin olive oil,

Salt and freshly ground black paper

Method:

Cut off the rind and then cut the watermelon flesh into 2 cm cubes and place them into a salad bowl.  Crumble in all  the feta and add all other ingredients.  Sprinkle some sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper and give it a gentle toss.  Taste and adjust the seasoning, the sweetness of the watermelon should be perfectly balanced against the saltiness of the feta and the peppery taste of the rocket leaves, accentuated by the hit coming from chilies.  If you have marinated feta in a tin at home, use its oil, it tastes divine and can be added to any salad.

Enjoy!!!

ROASTED RACK OF LAMB WITH MIDDLE EASTERN FLAVOURS + PARSLEY + POMEGRANATE SAUCE

Ever since Yotam Ottolenghi made an appearance on the Australian Food Channel, it sparked interest in Middle Eastern cuisine.  Shop owners recorded a significant increase in sales of spices such as Za'atar and Sumak and you can eat eggs Shakshuka which are now on almost every coffee shop breakfast list and bookings to restaurants that cook this tasty cuisine is sometimes weeks long.  His books "Jerusalem on a Plate" and "Plenty" have become cooking bibles for many home cooks across the globe.

This recipe is quite simple in its preparation and cooking, it has delicious flavours of the Middle East and will proudly grace any dining table over the coming festive season.  

You need for 8 people:

3 racks of lamb approx (3 ribs per person)

Olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2- 3 tbs of sumac (Mediterranean spice available in the spice section of a supermarket or a deli shop)

2-3 tbs of dukkah (same as above)

Method (I call it a one pot wonder as I use the roasting dish to both sear and cook the meat)

Remove the meat from the fridge half an hour before cooking to bring it to room temperature.  Preheat the oven to 180°C.  Rub olive oil over one side of the rack, season it with salt and pepper and sprinkle generously with dukkah and sumac and massage it into the meat.  Place the roasting dish on top of the stove on medium heat, splash some olive oil and when it's hot,  quickly sear the meat on both sides to seal in the juices and give the meat a lovely brown colour.

Once the meat is browned on both sides, place the dish  into the pre-heated oven.  I like to use a meat thermometer to make sure that my meat is not overcooked.  As a rough guide, you need between 15 and 20 minutes to get the lamb to medium rare.
Once the meat is cooked to your liking, remove it from the oven and let it rest in a warm place, I find a microwave oven is a perfect place for it.  Slice the racks into chunks allowing 3 ribs per guest and arrange them on a big serving plate along with roasted vegetables.  I am a strong believer that the food looks great when served on a big plate, it is also easy to share and brings the sense of closeness to people around the table.

The lamp goes beautifully with  Middle Eastern style parsley sauce that adds extra flavour and texture and rather nicely rounds up the whole dish.

Parsley sauce with fresh pomegranate

You need:

Half a bunch of parsley nicely chopped

2-3 garlic gloves grated (add more if you love it or less if not so much)

Pips of half of a pomegranate

5 tbs extra virgin olive oil,

salt and freshly ground black pepper,

½ of tbs of red wine vinegar or lemon juice (whichever you prefer)

1 tsp of pomegranate sauce.

Method:

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl (apart from the pomegranate pips), mix well and taste it, it should have sharp fresh taste with a hint of sweetness from the pomegranate juice and acidity from the vinegar (or lemon juice).  If you are using a whole bunch of parsley, you should increase the quantity of wet ingredients to maintain sauce consistency.  Once satisfied with the seasoning, mix in the pomegranate pips.

Using a teaspoon, spoon it over each of the lamb portions and serve the left-over sauce on the side.

Serve the Lamb with Roasted Vegetables and a summer salad of Water Melon, Rocket Leaves + Persian Feta

Enjoy!!!