Jamie Oliver's 15 Minute Meals Lamb Kofte with Pitta & Greek Salad

Today is day 5 of the Jamie Oliver challenge.

It actually took me about 20 minutes to cook this meal! I made a few adjustments to the recipe like squeezing only half a lemon into the yoghurt, omitting the raw onion from the salad since I don't like the taste of raw onions, not grating the cucumber but slicing it thinly instead and using wraps instead of pita bread since there was none available in the supermarket. I think next time I'll also use chicken stock with the couscous- tasted a bit bland with just water.

Loved how this meal has very nice flavours and that it was such a great combo. Loved most of all the honey and nuts with the lamb- it made the kofte so moreish. Will definitely be making this meal again.

Jamie's 15 Minute Meals, page 108

Serves 4
587 calories

Ingredients

Kofte
400g lean lamb mince
1 teaspoon garam masala
olive oil
25g shelled pistachios
a few sprigs of fresh thyme
1 tablespoon runny honey

Couscous
½ bunch of fresh mint
1 fresh red chilli (optional)
½ a mug of couscous

Salad
½ an iceberg lettuce
½ a red onion
½ a cucumber
5 ripe cherry tomatoes
4 black olives
4 heaped tablespoons fat-free natural yoghurt
2 lemons
40g feta cheese

To serve
4 pita wraps

*Ingredients out *Kettle boiled *Large frying pan, high heat *Food processor (bowl blade)

Method

In a large bowl, mix the mince with salt, pepper and the garam masala. Divide into 8, then with wet hands shape into little fat fingers. Put into the frying pan with 1 tablespoon of oil, turning until dark golden all over. Tear off most of the top leafy half of the mint and blitz in the processor with a pinch of salt and pepper and the chilli until fine. Remove the blade, stir in ½ a mug of couscous and 1 mug of boiling water, put the lid on and leave to sit in the processor.

Cut the lettuce into wedges and arrange on a nice board or platter. Peel and coarsely grate the onion and cucumber into a bowl, season well with salt, then squeeze out any excess salty liquid and sprinkle over the lettuce. Chop and add the tomatoes, then squash, destone and dot over the olives. Mix the yoghurt in a bowl with the juice of 1 lemon, season to taste, then drizzle it over the lettuce and crumble over the feta.

Bash the pistachios in a pestle and mortar. Drain away the fat from the lamb, then toss with the bashed nuts, thyme leaves and honey, and turn the heat off. Pop the pittas in the microwave (800W) for 45 seconds to warm through, then cut in half and add to the board with the kofte. Fluff up the couscous, scatter the remaining mint leaves over everything and serve with lemon wedges.