Sep 26, 2022

MKR Semi Final Recipes - Ezme and Lamb

Prep time:

30 mins

Cook time:

25 mins

Serves:

Ingredients for lamb marinade:

Cook for: 5 mins each side on char grill, in oven 15 minutes

Lamb backstrap x1 large piece
Spices for marinade:
½ cup olive oil
juice of 2 lemons
2 tbs garlic paste
2 tbs greek yoghurt
1 tbs oregano
1 tbs smoked paprika
1 tbs sumac
1 tbs garlic powder
1 tbs onion powder
1 tbs white salt
½ tsp chilli powder
1 tbs Aleppo pepper

Ingredients for ezme salad

1 white onion
2 cup heirloom tomatoes RIPE TOMATOES
1 red pepper smoked and blackened the skin
1 red green pepper blackened skin
2 birdseye chilli, finely chopped
1 tbs capsicum paste (ONCU brand)
¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
¼ cup fresh mint
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp pomegranate molasses
2 tsp Aleppo pepper
1 tbs dried mint
1 tsp sumac
1 tbs salt
1-2 green pepper

Ingredients for kisir
1 cup fine dried bulgur wheat (1.5 cups boiling water + 1 tsp vegeta stock powder)
1/3 cup fresh mint
1 tbs capsicum paste
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
juice of 1 lemon juice
2 tbs pomegranate molasses
1/3 cup fresh parsley
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 tbs olive oil
1 red onion
1/3 cup shallots
2 fine chopped roma tomato
¼ cup pomegranate seeds

Ingredients for smokey eggplant yoghurt dip:
2 eggplants blackened and smoked (blitz in a processor)
½ cup greek yoghurt
2 tbs lemon juice
2 tbs fresh chopped mint
1 tbs minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tbs olive oil

Garnish
Fresh mint leaves
Fresh pomegranate seeds
fried Lebanese bread

Method:

For the Ezme salad:
1. Cut the base of the tomato skin in a cross and then boil tomatoes quickly and then throw them into iced cold water then to remove the skin off the tomatoes
2. Chop peeled tomatoes, onion, garlic, green peppers and parsley one by one finely.
3. Put them all on the board and continue chopping altogether. This will help the flavours combine well. Transfer the mixture into a bowl.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, olive oil and pepper paste until smooth. Add in salt, pul biber (red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper), sumac and dried mint.
5. Pour this into the bowl and give a good stir.

For the lamb:
1. Marinate the lamb with all the spices and olive oil and set aside for 30 minutes
2. Grill the lamb on all sides until chargrilled (5 minutes each side)
3. Rest the lamb for 10 minutes and then slice into slices

For the kisir:
1. Add 1 cup of bulgur to a large bowl with 1.5 cup boiling water with the vegeta and cover to allow it to soften
2. Once the bulgur is soft, add the seasonings and capsicum paste, olive oil and pomegranate molasses and mix it through with the bulgur until it is covering the bulgur completely

3. Chop all the vegetables and fresh herbs into small bite sized pieces and add to the salad
4. Garnish with extra olive oil, pomegranate seeds

For the eggplant dip:
1. Char grill the eggplant on the charcoal bbq until the skin is blackened
2. Put the eggplant into cold water and then remove the skin
3. Mash the eggplant flesh in a bowl with a fork, add the crushed garlic, yoghurt, salt, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil and mix together and set aside

Specialty equipment