Holiday Shack Lunch

A community recipe by RANjacqui

Not tested or verified by Nigella.com

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Introduction

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.

Ingredients

Serves: 4-6

Metric Cups

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

18 ounces yoghurt
1 cucumber (or 3 lebanese cucumbers)
olive oil
lemon juice
garlic
2⅕ pounds lamb (cut into strips)
oregano
pita breads
1 eggplant
tahini
mixed salad leaves
tomatoes
2 onions (red or brown)
fresh mint
red wine vinegar
1 pinch of salt

Method

Holiday Shack Lunch is a community recipe submitted by RANjacqui and has not been tested by Nigella.com so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe.

The night before:

marinate the lamb in some olive oil, lemon, oregano and garlic, cover and leave in the fridge.

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.

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

drain the lamb from the marinade and thread onto metal or bamboo skewers.

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.

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).

Pour over enough red wine vinegar to almost cover and set aside, stirring every so often until the onion goes all soft and sweet.

Put the salad leaves and sliced tomatoes in bowls and light the barbie.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The night before:

marinate the lamb in some olive oil, lemon, oregano and garlic, cover and leave in the fridge.

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.

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

drain the lamb from the marinade and thread onto metal or bamboo skewers.

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.

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).

Pour over enough red wine vinegar to almost cover and set aside, stirring every so often until the onion goes all soft and sweet.

Put the salad leaves and sliced tomatoes in bowls and light the barbie.

Throw the eggplant 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.

After lunch (and making sure that someone else does the washing up), in a desultory fashion, peel the eggplant 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.

Throw the leftover pitas onto the bbq or under the grill until crisp and break into shards to serve with the eggplant dip (babaganoush). Perch on verandah with drink in one hand, pita and dip in other, and enjoy the sunset. Works for me.