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HOLIDAY SHACK LUNCH

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Serves: 4-6

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Nigella was asking for suggestions for holiday house meals. We always have this when we rent a beach shack. Adults and kids alike love it. It does require some slight day-before organising though.

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Ingredients

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  • 500 grams yoghurt
  • 1 cucumber (or 3 lebanese cucumbers)
  • olive oil
  • lemon juice
  • garlic
  • 1 kilogram lamb (cut into strips)
  • oregano
  • pitta breads
  • 1 aubergine
  • tahini
  • mixed salad leaves
  • tomatoes
  • 2 onions (red or brown)
  • fresh mint
  • red wine vinegar
  • 1 pinch of salt

Method

The night before:

  1. marinate the lamb in some olive oil, lemon, oregano and garlic, cover and leave in the fridge.
  2. Pour the yoghurt into the pop sock and tie the top of the sock to the tap over the kitchen sink so that the whey drips out and down the sink, leaving a really thick yoghurt.
  3. grate the cucumber(s)(peel if you want but it's not necessary) and place in a colander with a plate and weight on top to drain.

Next day

  1. drain the lamb from the marinade and thread onto metal or bamboo skewers.
  2. Squeeze the cucumber out in a teatowel to make it as dry as possible, then mix with the yoghurt, a pinch of salt, a tspn each of olive oil and lemon juice and two cloves crushed garlic. Set aside.
  3. Slice the onions thinly, place in a bowl with 1/2 tspn salt and one heaped tablespoon dried mint ( I know that seems like a lot but trust me).
  4. Pour over enough red wine vinegar to almost cover and set aside, stirring every so often until the onion goes all soft and sweet.
  5. Put the salad leaves and sliced tomatoes in bowls and light the barbie.
  6. Throw the aubergine onto the back of the bbq while you cook the lamb skewers (souvlaki) and turn it until it is charred all over, then set it aside.
  7. Brush the pitas with some oil and grill until they are warm and supple. Load the bread and skewers onto a platter and put in the middle of the table with the tzadziki, onions and salad and let everyone assemble their own wraps. Loads of napkins are required.
  8. After lunch (and making sure that someone else does the washing up), in a desultory fashion, peel the aubergine and squeeze out as much of the juice from its flesh as you can and mash it with a tbspn Tahini, and lemon juice, olive oil, salt and crushed garlic to taste.
  9. Throw the leftover pitas onto the bbq or under the grill until crisp and break into shards to serve with the aubergine dip (babaganoush). Perch on verandah with drink in one hand, pita and dip in other, and enjoy the sunset. Works for me.

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