Griddled lamb + aubergine wrap with mint garlic yogurt

After the torrential downpour that was the weekend, it appears that Spring at long last is here, with the first day of March being all blue skies and sunshine. It won’t be long now before we’ll be dining alfresco and dusting off the barbecue (fingers crossed) and last night’s grilled lamb and aubergine wraps made a fitting supper to herald in longer and brighter days. The lamb leg steaks were juicy and tender as a result of sitting in the tomato, onion, cumin and chilli marinade for a good few hours before being charred on a griddle pan. Rolled in soft flour tortillas with velvety roasted aubergines, lashings of cool mint garlic yogurt and fresh salad leaves – it made the perfect bite. I also finally cracked open the Mamoun’s hot sauce flown over from NYC; a splash of which added a real pleasing kick. As it gets warmer our dining table will definitely be seeing a lot more of this wrap.

Griddled Lamb and Aubergine Wrap with Mint Garlic Yogurt

serves 2

2 lamb leg steaks

1 medium aubergine

2 wholemeal flour tortillas

freshly ground black pepper

olive oil

sea salt

marinade:

1/2 tbsp olive oil

1 red chilli, sliced

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp tomato purée

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1/2 small onion, finely grated

mint garlic yogurt:

2 tbsp olive oil

250ml (1 cup) greek yogurt

1 clove garlic, finely minced

4-5 sprigs mint, leaves only

to serve:

green salad + your favourite hot sauce

Combine all the marinade ingredients in a small bowl, add the lamb steaks and coat well. Leave to marinate, covered in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F).

Cut the aubergine into thick slices lengthways then brush each side with a little olive oil and season wtih salt and pepper. Lay on a baking tray and roast in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until soft and coloured. Remove from oven and keep warm.

Heat a griddle pan over a medium high flame and cook the lamb steaks, 2-3 minutes on each side until charred and cooked through. Lift onto a plate and leave to rest for 2-3 minutes. Cut into thick strips (if desired) to serve.

In the meantime blitz the yogurt ingredients in a blender or food processor until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon into a serving bowl and set aside.

When you are ready to construct your wrap heat a frying pan on a medium flame. Warm the tortillas quickly in the pan (a few seconds on each side) then place on the serving plate. Lay two slices of the roasted aubergine on the tortilla, then place on a few pieces of grilled lamb. Top with a dollop of yogurt, a dash of hot sauce (optional) and a large handful of salad leaves.

Wrap the baby up and enjoy!