Dukkah lamb cutlets with mint and pomegranate salad

It is so easy to put this dish together, and yet it makes such a big impact with its sharp, clean flavours. The hazelnut dukkah can be kept for up to a year – but I am sure you will eat it all before then! It is best stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

Dukkah lamb cutlets with mint and pomegranate salad Credit: Falafel for Breakfast

• serves

  4

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  25 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 6 tbsp hazelnut dukkah (see below)
• 8 large lamb cutlets (or lamb chops or noisettes)

Mint and pomegranate salad

• 1 handful mint leaves
• 4 tbsp pomegranate seeds
• 1 preserved lemon, skin only, julienned
• ½ lemon, juiced
• 3 tbsp olive oil

Hazelnut dukkah (makes 520g)

• 1¾ cups hazelnuts
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1¼ cups sesame seeds
• 2 tsp sea salt flakes
• 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Marinating time 30 minutes

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 160°C. To make the hazelnut dukkah, place the hazelnuts on one baking tray, and the coriander and cumin seeds on a separate tray, and bake for approximately 15 minutes, until toasted.

After the hazelnuts and seeds have been in the oven for 10 minutes, add the sesame seeds on a separate tray and toast for the remaining 5 minutes, or until lightly coloured. Remove all the trays from the oven and allow the nuts and seeds to cool to room temperature.

Put the hazelnuts in a food processor and pulse to a coarse breadcrumb size. (You could also crush the hazelnuts the traditional way using a mortar and pestle – good exercise for the biceps!) Transfer the hazelnuts to a large mixing bowl.

Put the cumin and coriander seeds in the food processor and process until almost a powder. (Use a mortar and pestle to do this if you prefer.) Add this powder to the bowl along with the toasted sesame seeds, salt and pepper. Mix well using a wooden spoon.

Place the olive oil and 6 tablespoons dukkah in a large bowl and mix together. Add the lamb and rub the dukkah mixture into the meat. Cover the bowl and transfer to the fridge to marinate for 30 minutes.

To make the salad, put the mint, pomegranate seeds and preserved lemon in a bowl. Shake together the lemon juice and olive oil in a small jar. Pour over the salad, toss gently and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, taking care not to use too much salt as there is salt in the dukkah on the cutlets.

Heat the barbecue to high or heat a chargrill pan over high heat on your stovetop. Cook the lamb cutlets for 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove the pan from the heat and rest the lamb for 5 minutes before serving with the mint and pomegranate salad.

Recipe and image from Falafel for Breakfast by Michael Rantissi and Kristy Frawley (Murdoch Books, $49.99, hbk).

View our Readable feasts review and more recipes from the book here.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.