Yummy lamb ‘grazing platter’ for kids

Serves

Prep Time

Cook Time

Ingredients

300g Lamb mince

¼ cup Herb and garlic tomato paste

1 tsp Moroccan spice mix

4 Frenched lamb cutlets

1/3 cup Hummus

Carrot and cucumber sticks

Cherry or grape tomatoes

Wedges of lettuce

Plain rice crackers

Lemon wedges

Combine the lamb mince, tomato paste and spice mix. Shape the mixture into small meatballs – about 2tsp of mixture for each. Add enough oil to a medium-sized, heavy based frypan to come one-third of the way up the side of the pan. Heat the oil over a moderately high heat. Cook the meatballs in 2 batches until golden and cooked through. Drain on absorbent paper. Allow the oil to reheat between batches.
Brush each cutlet lightly with oil. Preheat the char-grill pan to hot before adding the cutlets. Cook cutlets on one side until the first sign of moisture appears on the top. Turn and cook further until done to your preference. Turn once only. Remove cutlets from heat, loosely cover with foil and rest cutlets for 2 minutes before serving.
Serve the meatballs and cutlets on a platter with the hummus, vegetable sticks, tomatoes, wedges of lettuce, rice crackers and lemon.

Meatballs and burgers should always be thoroughly cooked. They should not be served rare or pink. A good guide is to insert a skewer into the thickest part; if it is ready to eat the juices will be clear.
Freeze mince you don’t intend to use. Uncooked mince can be frozen for 2-3 months. Rather than freezing loose mince in roundish shape as bought from the butcher lay it out flat to freeze. This is important as it allows the mince to freeze evenly and it allows the mince to thaw evenly. Cooked mince dishes can also be frozen for later use.
Thaw frozen mince (and any meat) in the fridge, on the lowest shelf below and or away from any ready to eat food. And only thaw in the microwave if using the mince immediately thereafter.
You can use cutlets, or lamb loin chops or lamb fillets/tenderloins for this recipe.
The cutlets can also be pan-fried. Preheat the pan, keep the heat at a moderately high temperature; this should be enough to keep the meat sizzling without burning.