A Lebanese feast

This may seem like a lot to cook, but much of the preparation can be done in advance, making it ideal for a dinner party and leaving you free to host.

Lamb Fatteh

Ingredients:

500g mince lamb

1 aubergine, cut into chunks

2 tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 onion, roughly chopped

1/2 cup of water

A large pinch of each of the following: cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, pimento, ground coriander

A dash of Worcester sauce

1 tsp tomato purée

Handful of roasted pine nuts

Olive oil for roasting

To make the yoghurt topping...

4 tbsp natural yoghurt

1 garlic clove, crushed

A handful of fresh mint, finely chopped

1. Preheat the oven at 200 degrees.

2. Roast the aubergine in a roasting tin with plenty of olive oil for around 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, brown the mince in a pan with no oil for around 6-8 minutes.

4. Add the onion and fry for a further 5-6 minutes.

5. Next add the tomatoes, spices, Worcester sauce and water, and simmer for 25 minutes.

6. Whilst the lamb simmers, mix the yoghurt, garlic and mint in a bowl.

7. Once the time is up with the lamb, add the roasted aubergine.

8. Serve with a generous amount of the yoghurt on top with a sprinkling of the roasted pine nuts and a side of warm pittas.

Jewelled tabbouleh 
Ingredients:

1 cup of bulgar wheat

2 cups of vegetable stock 

1/2 a fennel bulb, finely sliced

1/2 a red onion, finely diced

A handful of mint, finely chopped

A handful of parsley, finely chopped

1 tbsp of pomegranate seeds

1 tbsp of chopped walnuts

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tbsp of olive oil

Salt and pepper

1. Cook the bulgar wheat in the vegetable stock on a medium heat with the lid on for 8-10 minutes. Once cooked, drain off any excess liquid if needed.

2. Once cooled add the remaining ingredients including seasoning and mix well.

Cumin roasted courgette and halloumi

Ingredients:

1 large courgette, cut into chunks

225g halloumi, cut into chunks 

1 tsp cumin

A small handful of mint, finely chopped

A small handful of parsley, finely chopped

2 tbsp olive oil 

Juice of half a lemon

Handful of roasted flaked almonds

Salt and pepper

1. Preheat the oven at 200 degrees.

2. Mix the courgette, halloumi and cumin together in a bowl.

3. Roast the courgette and halloumi in the oil within a roasting tin for around 25 minutes until the edges of the halloumi are crisp and brown.

4. Once cooked, remove from the oven and add the lemon juice, mint, parsley, almonds and seasoning, and mix well.

Yelly-fi-felly-food-belly x