If you are serving lamb for Easter, here are two sides you may like to add to your roast. Lamb is a rich meat and it's always good to have something that both enhance its flavour and cuts through the richness too. That's why mince sauce is so good with it. Inspired by the vibrant flavours of the Middle East, these two easy-to-prepare sides are the perfect companions to your succulent lamb. First, a smoky and zesty aubergine dish, followed by a bright and crunchy cauliflower and broccoli salad.
For the Smoky Aubergine with Lime & Chickpeas:
One aubergine
One tin of chick peas drained and rinsed
Two cloves of garlic crushed
Juice and zest of one lime
One TSP of smoked paprika
For the Bright Cauliflower & Broccoli Salad with Cannellini Beans:
One broccoli and one cauliflower cut into florets
Six cherry tomatoes halved
One tin of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Olive oil
The juice and zest of one lime
Wrap the aubergine in tin foil and place in a 200°c oven until soft. Once cooked, peel off the skin.
In a food processor, add the chick peas, aubergine, garlic, lime juice and two table spoons of olive oil, salt and pepper to season. Mix to a paste, garnish with the paprika and an extra table spoon of olive oil. Serve as a dip with your lamb.
Blanch the cauliflower and broccoli in hot boiling water for 2 minutes and drain.
In a bowl, add the cannellini beans, hot cauliflower and broccoli, and the tomatoes, salt and pepper to season, the lime juice and olive oil and mix. It’s important to do this when your vegetables are still hot, so they can soak up all the juices. Serve hot or cold with your roast lamb.
Bon appétit!
Corinne
Lamb is a rich meat so you need something to contrast and balance the flavours. Mint sauce of course is excellent, but anything zesty also works well. If you’re serving green beans for example, add a table spoon of lemon juice. When roasting your lamb, think about adding some preserved lemons especially for a leg of lamb.