Strawberry Tabbouleh with Lamb Loin au
Gratin
Tabbouleh is a succulent Middle Eastern salad made of bulgur. In the summer, I prefer to toss strawberries into the salad. However, when berry season is over, I make the original recipe and substitute the strawberries for three deseeded and cubed tomatoes. The lamb loin au gratin with feta cheese and almond is a great accompaniment. The salad is also a home run with grilled lamb, spicy sausages, chicken, or pork shoulder— preferably together with the tzatziki on page 18. |
Strawberry Tabbouleh with Lamb Loin au Gratin
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4 portions
Meat
½ cup (100 ml) almonds
1 garlic clove, chopped
¾ cup (200 ml) coarsely chopped dill
¼ cup (50 ml) olive oil
3 oz (100 g) goat cheese (chèvre)
sea salt flakes
freshly ground pepper
1–1¼ lbs (500–600 g) lamb loin
butter for frying
Tabbouleh
1 cup (250 ml) bulgur
2 cups (500 ml) vegetable broth
3 chopped shallots
½ cup (100 ml) coarsely chopped pistachios
¾ cup (200 ml) chopped parsley
½ cup (100 ml) chopped mint
3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tbsp olive oil
⇆
Sea salt flakes
Freshly ground pepper
1¼–1¾ cup (300–400 ml) cut strawberries
1. Begin with the tabbouleh: Boil the bulgur, covered, in the broth for about 10 minutes. Let the bulgur cool.
2. Combine bulgur, shallots, nuts, herbs, lemon juice, and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Fold the strawberries into the salad just before serving.
4. The meat: Mix together almond, garlic, dill, and olive oil. Crumble in the cheese, add salt, and pepper to taste.
5. Preheat the oven to 425˚F (225˚C). Trim the loin free of sinews and fat.
Brown on all sides in butter. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place the meat on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Stick a meat thermometer into the meat’s thickest part.
6. Spread the topping over the meat. Roast in the middle of the oven until the thermometer shows 135˚F (57˚C) for pink meat. Remove from the oven and let it rest under aluminum foil for about 10 minutes. Slice the meat just before serving.
