Name: Roast rolled lamb with baba ghanoush and mint and parsley salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 105 min
Total time: 125 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 3 large purple eggplant; 170 ml olive oil; 40 gm tahini; 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped; 2 lemons, finely grated rind and juice only; ½ tsp ground cumin; ¼ tsp ground chilli; 2 kg boned, butterflied leg of lamb; For brushing: extra-virgin olive oil; 2 Spanish onions, cut into wedges; 1 cup each of (loosely packed) flat-leaf parsley and mint leaves; 250 gm fine burghul, soaked in cold water for 20 minutes, drained (see note); 400 gm canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Roast rolled lamb with baba ghanoush and mint and parsley salad

Australian Gourmet Traveller main course recipe for roast rolled lamb with baba ghanoush and mint and parsley salad

Serves 6

Prep

20M

Cook

1H 45M

Total

2H 5M

Ingredients

3 large purple eggplant

170 ml olive oil

40 gm tahini

3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

2 lemons, finely grated rind and juice only

½ tsp ground cumin

¼ tsp ground chilli

2 kg boned, butterflied leg of lamb

For brushing: extra-virgin olive oil

2 Spanish onions, cut into wedges

1 cup each of (loosely packed) flat-leaf parsley and mint leaves

250 gm fine burghul, soaked in cold water for 20 minutes, drained (see note)

400 gm canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Method

Main

1.Cook 2 eggplant over an open flame, turning frequently, until charred and soft (7-8 minutes). Transfer to a colander to drain juices, cool, then peel. Place in a food processor with 60ml olive oil, tahini and half the garlic and half the lemon juice and process until smooth. Season generously with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Thin with a little hot water, if necessary, and stand at room temperature until required.

2.Preheat oven to 190C. Cut the remaining eggplant into 1cm dice. Combine in a bowl with 60ml olive oil, cumin, chilli, half the lemon rind and remaining garlic. Season generously, then transfer to a roasting pan and roast until golden and tender (about 15 minutes).

3.Open out lamb leg on a clean work surface, scatter over roasted eggplant and remaining lemon rind. Season to taste, then roll tightly to form a cylinder and tie at intervals with kitchen twine. Brush with a little extra-virgin olive oil and season to taste.

4.Scatter onion wedges over base of a small roasting pan, place lamb on top and roast until medium-rare (about 1 hour, 20 minutes) or until cooked to your liking. Cover loosely with foil and rest for 10-15 minutes, then thickly slice.

5.Transfer onion to a bowl, add herbs, burghul, chickpeas, remaining lemon juice and remaining olive oil. Season to taste and toss to combine. Serve with sliced lamb and baba ghanoush.