Author Notes
Inspired by a Sunbasket recipe, this easy template for a quick dinner is so surprisingly delicious and interesting that it's earned a spot in our permanent list of house favorites, and shows up often on the weeknight cooking rotation. You can easily sub in other vegetables based on what's available and looks good. —Posie (Harwood) Brien
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Ingredients
- For the lamb + tabbouleh
-
3 tablespoons
olive oil, divided
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2
cloves garlic, minced
-
1
1 head cauliflower, cored and chopped finely (it should be in rice-sized crumbles)
-
1 pound
ground lamb
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2 tablespoons
baharat or hawaij spice blend (if you can't find either, use a mix of equal parts cardamom, turmeric, coriander, and cumin)
-
4
small Persian cucumbers, diced
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3
tomatoes, chopped
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zest and juice of 1 lemon
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1/2 cup
fresh parsley, roughly chopped
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1/4 cup
fresh cilantro, optional for garnishing
-
flaky sea salt, for garnishing
- For the sauce
-
1/2 cup
warm water (plus more if needed)
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1/2 cup
tahini
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1/2 teaspoon
garlic powder
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3 tablespoons
fresh lemon juice
-
salt, to taste
Directions
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In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat and add the garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
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Add the chopped cauliflower and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to brown, about 8 minutes. (Note: If you want to make your prep easier, it's really easy to chop the cauliflower by tossing it in the food processor and pulsing a few times.)
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Season with salt and pepper and add a drizzle of olive oil to the cooked cauliflower.
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Transfer the cooked cauliflower to a large bowl. Don't wipe out the pan.
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To the bowl of cauliflower, add the cucumbers, tomatoes, lemon zest, lemon juice, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Set aside.
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In the same skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the ground lamb and spices (I alternate between baharat and hawaijj depending on my mood or what I have in the pantry. Both are delicious with lamb.). Season with salt and pepper, and cook over medium-high heat until the lamb browns, breaking it up with a spatula as it cooks.
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To make the dressing: Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. It should be pourable; if it's too thick, add more warm water. It should be easy to drizzle but not super thin.
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Divide the cauliflower mixture between two bowls, and divide the lamb on top of both bowls. Top with a liberal drizzle of the tahini dressing. Garnish with flaky sea salt and a handful of fresh cilantro.
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