Joe’s feelgood food: Cumin-spiced lamb and feta fattoush 

Joe’s feelgood food: Cumin-spiced lamb and feta fattoush

REDUCED CARB 

SERVES 1

1 pitta bread

1 tbsp olive oil

good pinch of smoked paprika

salt and pepper

200g reduced-fat lamb mince

2 tsp ground cumin

10 cherry tomatoes

¼ cucumber

handful of mint

large handful of parsley

juice of ½ lemon

30g feta

  • Preheat the oven to 200C/ 180C fan/gas 6.
  • Using scissors, cut the pitta into random shards. Transfer to a flat baking sheet then toss with 2 teaspoons of olive oil, a good pinch of smoked paprika and salt. Spread the pitta out in a single layer and roast in the oven for 10 minutes, turning halfway until golden and crisp.
  • Meanwhile heat a frying pan or wok over a high heat. Drizzle in the remaining oil then tip the lamb mince into the pan. Add the ground cumin along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Use the back of a wooden spoon to break the mince into small pieces. Fry for 10 minutes. By this time it will be completely cooked through, deep brown and crisp.
  • While the lamb and pitta are cooking, make the salad. Halve the cherry tomatoes, slice the cucumber into half-moons, pick the mint leaves and chop the parsley (stalks and all). Scrape all these ingredients into a serving bowl, squeeze in the lemon juice. Mix well to combine.
  • Get your pitta out of the oven and mix it through the salad along with the cumin crispy lamb, which will be cooked by now. Crumble over the feta to serve.

TIP For softer herbs such as parsley, I always chop up the stalks and chuck them into recipes with the leaves. They are full of flavour!