Julia Busuttil Nishimura's grilled lamb cutlets with green tahini sauce and cucumber salad

My green tahini sauce is the perfect way to use up an abundance of herbs and is super fresh and bright. It's incredibly simple and takes just a few seconds to make. I've paired it with some grilled lamb cutlets but it is also wonderful with grilled fish, chicken or even roasted cauliflower. Feel free to add more chilli if you want it to have more of a kick, or remove the seeds to reduce the heat. Any leftover sauce can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

INGREDIENTS

• 12 Frenched lamb cutlets
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt flakes

Green tahini sauce

• 1 bunch parsley, small stalks and leaves only
• 1 bunch coriander, small stalks and leaves only
• 1 bunch mint, small stalks and leaves only
• 100g (½ cup) hulled tahini
• 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
• ½ green chilli, roughly chopped
• pinch caster sugar
• juice of 1 lemon, plus extra if needed

Cucumber salad

• 6 Lebanese cucumbers, cut on the diagonal into 2cm-thick pieces
• small handful of coriander leaves
• small handful of mint leaves
• 1 eschalot (French shallot), finely sliced
• juice of half a lemon
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• pinch of sumac

METHOD

1. Drizzle the lamb with the olive oil and season well with sea salt. Set aside.
2. For the green tahini sauce, place all of the ingredients in a high speed blender or bowl of a food processor. Season with sea salt and blitz until you have a smooth sauce, adding a little water if needed. Check for seasoning, adding more lemon juice or sea salt if needed. Set aside.
3. For the cucumber salad, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and season with sea salt. Set aside.
4. Heat a grill or frying pan to medium-high heat and cook the lamb, in batches if needed, for about 5-7 minutes, turning halfway, or until cooked to your liking. Allow to rest for a few minutes then serve with the cucumber salad and green tahini sauce.

Serves 4

This recipe is from episode one of Good Food Kitchen season 2, screening on 9Now.