Lamb Pops

Organic Wash Creek Lamb Pops with north african spices and yoghurt sumac dressing

Black Estate Lamb Pops Photo: supplied/Black Estate

Ingredients:

Lamb pops

1 Kg Lamb mince

2 Tbsp Harissa paste

20 g Flakey sea salt

1 generous pinch mint/coriander roughly chopped

1/2 tsp each ginger/garlic powder

2 tsp toasted/ground cumin and coriander seeds

generous grinds of pepper

Put all together in a large mixing bowl and beat with your hand for a few minutes to combine and emulsify the mixture. Divide into 12 equal portions and shape into balls then roll them out into a cylindrical shape. Insert your presoaked skewers right into the end. This can be done ahead of time to have ready in the fridge, alternatively it can be a really fun process to get your children or guests involved in.

Please note that most harissa pastes are different from one another and you may want to add more or less depending on the strength of it, also try adding extra spices and chilli if you like things really intense. For this recipe i have used Yotam Ottolengi's harissa paste and can easily be found in any of his books or online. 

Yoghurt sumac dressing

300g plain unsweetened yoghurt

1 good pinch flakey sea salt

8 turns of  your peppermill

1 small pinch each of coriander and mint roughly chopped

20g honey

Put all ingredients into a bowl and combine thoroughly. It is good to do this step ahead of time as i like to give the sumac time to hydrate in the yoghurt.

To cook, I prefer to do this over charcoal as its the most intimate and in touch way to cook. However, you can still cook these on a gas bbq or in a frying pan if its a cold miserable day. Cook them for 8-10 over a moderate heat and turning as each side gets some good colour on them, dont be afraid of slightly blackened bits, this is all more flavour and romance. Allow the pops to rest in a warm place for at least 5 minutes to retain the juices.

Simply arrange the pops on a platter with the sauce on the side and garnished with fresh coriander. Serve in the middle of the table so everyone can share.