Lamb Souvlaki and Flatbreads

As a youngster, I remember lamb not being the sort of meat we ate on a regular basis. I also recall not being too fond of it and had to smother the lamb in mint sauce before I could eat it. That was then and today I love eating lamb as does my family whether it be in the form of chops, shanks, leg of lamb, fillets etc. Although high in saturated fat, lamb is a very good source of protein. Lamb is also a good source of zinc. It's a mineral that is very important for our immune system.

Serves 4-6
recipe from BBC Olive magazine

4 lamb rump steaks
2 lemons, juiced
1 tablespoon salt
2 sprigs thyme leaves
250ml natural yogurt
2 red chilies, deseeded
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon each of cardamom, cloves and turmeric
tzatziki, hummous to serve

Flatbreads
500g plain flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon fast action yeast
100ml milk
150ml natural yogurt
50g butter, melted
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Tenderize the lamb by rubbing with the lemon juice, salt and thyme leaves and leave for 2 hours. Put the yogurt, chilies and coriander with the spices in a food processor. Season and whiz to a paste. Pour the marinade over the lamb, making sure it's well covered and chill overnight or for 4 hours.

To make the flatbreads, put the flour, salt, sugar and yeast in a large bowl and mix well. Heat the milk until lukewarm then add the yogurt and melted butter. Pour slowly over the flour, mixing until it comes together (you might need to add a splash of milk) then knead for 5 minutes until you have a springy dough. Leave to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour. Divide into 10 balls, cover and leave for 15 minutes. Heat a moderate grill and heat a large non-stick baking tray under it (until it gets hot). Roll the balls of dough into rough teardrop shapes. Put on the hot baking tray, sprinkle with sesame seeds and grill for 2-3 minutes each side. Keep an eye on them as they burn easily. Brush with a little olive oil as they come out and stack whilst hot on top of each other.

Barbecue the lamb for about 20 minutes, turning regularly for pink meat. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and rest for 10 minutes. Serve with the flatbread and some store bought tzatziki or hummous (or both).

The Culinary Chase's Note: This is not my mother's way of cooking lamb (no offense Mom!) and is the reason I started to enjoy lamb again. If you don't have time to make the flatbreads, you can always purchase from the store. The flavors from the marinade compliment the lamb beautifully and will have your family and friends asking for more!