Here’s a little known fact: my family on my dad’s side is from Syria, and as a chef, he always made it a point to cook up globally-inspired dishes for dinner (OK, that’s technically two facts, so you’re welcome).
I basically grew up on his homemade yeb’r’t – stuffed grape leaves. So for this dinner recipe, I wanted to share some of those Eastern Mediterranean flavors with my own family.
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN LAMB LOLLIPOPS
Served family style, feeds 4-5 people
Ingredients:
-3-4 lbs. lamb rack, individually sliced
-2 boxes of Near East Rice Pilaf
-2 (15 oz.) cans of chickpeas
-2 tablespoons butter, for rice
-1-2 tablespoons olive oil, for cooking lamb
-3 tablespoons olive oil, for lamb marinade
-1-2 tablespoons olive oil, for roasting chickpeas
-3 oz. crumbled feta cheese
-8 oz. hummus
-11 oz. taboule salad
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
-1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
-1/2 teaspoon paprika
-1/4 teaspoon tumeric
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 tablespoon BOLD SAUCE CO. Spice Cabinet Sauce – use coupon code GINGER when you order to save 10%
OPTIONAL:
-Pea shoots (for garnish)
-Pita bread
Directions:
Step 1: Prep the lamb.
In a large mixing bowl, add 3 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon BOLD SAUCE CO. Spice Cabinet Sauce, and whisk together. Add dry spices and garlic and whisk again.
Add lamb to the bowl and use hands to massage marinade into meat. Marinate in fridge for 30 minutes.
Step 2: While the lamb marinates, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Meanwhile, prep the chickpeas. First, drain them and rinse in cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Add chickpeas to a large mixing bowl. Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to the bowl, along with salt and pepper to taste.
Arrange chickpeas in a single layer on a nonstick baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, flip and bake another 20 minutes until golden and crispy.
Step 3: While chickpeas cook, start the rice pilaf. Follow the directions on the box.
Step 4: Time to cook the lamb.
In a large cast iron pan, add 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Heat on medium heat. Once oil is hot, add lamb and cook 5 minutes each side. Once lamb is cooked, transfer it to a cutting board and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes.
Step 5: Plate everything.
Put the hummus and taboule salad in separate bowls with serving spoons. Add a drizzle of olive oil over the hummus and sprinkle crumbled feta on top.
On a large plate, spread rice pilaf. Arrange the lamb on top. Sprinkle roasted chick peas on plate and top with pea shoots for garnish.
Hey kids! Just a heads up that this post may contain affiliate links to products I love and use. If you take action after clicking one of these links (i.e. subscribe, make a purchase, etc.) I’ll earn a bit of a commission, which helps me keep this blog up and running – so you can keep finding dope recipes like this one to recreate yourself! Thanks in advance for supporting The Northeast Ginger – xoxo Gossip Girl
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