If you have been following my blog at all, you know by now that I love lamb in almost any form, but particularly in Mediterranean and South Asian recipes. You also know that one of my favorite food blogs is Food52, so when I saw this recipe, I immediately sent it to Frances and printed it out for myself. She and I both made it this past weekend and it was a big hit in New York and Chicago. The cauliflower tabbouleh is wonderful on its own and would make a terrific side instead of a starch for any grilled or roasted meat or fish. (SEE NOTE BELOW) This recipe will definitely enter my regular food rotation. I would encourage you to make your own baharat or hawaij spice, especially if you have a spice or coffee grinder, but if you don’t feel so inclined, these spice mixes are available at Middle Eastern grocery stores and online. And if you don’t eat lamb (why, why don’t you eat lamb!?) I’m confident that this would be equally delicious with ground turkey or beef.
Spiced Lamb with Cauliflower Tabbouleh by Posie Harwood of Food 52, inspired by a Sunbasket recipe and tweaked by me.
Yield: 3-4 servings
Ingredients
4 cloves garlic, minced
Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
1 large bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, optional for garnishing
1/2 cup tahini1/2 teaspoon garlic powderJuice of one lemon Salt, to tasteDirections
- In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat and add the garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add the chopped cauliflower and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to brown, about 8 minutes. (Note: If you want to make your prep easier, chop the cauliflower by tossing it in the food processor and pulsing a few times.)
- Season with salt and pepper (I used Aleppo pepper, but you could use fresh-cracked black pepper) and add a drizzle of olive oil to the cooked cauliflower.
- Transfer the cooked cauliflower to a large bowl. Don’t wipe out the pan.
- To the bowl of cauliflower, add the cucumbers, tomatoes, lemon zest, lemon juice, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper (Aleppo pepper, if you have it) and toss to combine. Set aside.
- In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1.5 Tablespoons of olive oil. Add the ground lamb and spices. Season with salt and pepper (Aleppo), and cook over medium-high heat until the lamb browns, breaking it up with a spatula as it cooks. Don’t worry if there is any fat in the pan at the end. The dish can use it and if you allow the lamb to sit for a minute after cooking, most of the juices/fat will be re-absorbed.
- To make the dressing: Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. It should be pourable; if it’s too thick, add more warm water. It should be easy to drizzle but not super thin.
- When ready to serve, place a good helping of the cauliflower mixture into a large bowl, and divide the lamb on top. Top with a liberal drizzle of the tahini dressing. Garnish with a handful of fresh cilantro. I served some whole wheat pita and spiced yogurt on the side. You could also serve with hummus.
NOTE: I recently made the cauliflower tabbouleh as a side with something else and found that by adding fresh torn mint leaves and chopped cilantro I kicked it up the notch it needed to be served without the spiced lamb on top.
