Recipe & pairing | Julia Busuttil Nishimura's (Good Cooking Every Day) Marinated Spiced Lamb w/ Cucumber Yoghurt

We’re huge fans of Julia Busuttil Nishimura’s uncomplicated, seasonal cooking. Her latest collection "Good Cooking Every Day" (available now!) is exactly that; packed full of deliciously relaxed recipes for everyday eating at its very best. Here’s her mouthwatering marinated spiced lamb with cucumber yoghurt, alongside a few pairing pointers from us if you’re stuck for a drop.

Pairing tip: “I love a cabernet sauvignon that’s leaning on the lighter side of life for this succulent, spiced number - enough rich and robust flavour to marry with the dish, without coming over the top and dominating. A cooler climate like the Yarra Valley would be the order of the day for me - but feel free to go to warmer regions if it’s more oomph you’re after. And for an even lighter option, an ideal spring/summer dish feels tailor made for the ideal spring/summer wine too; a rosé can and will do no wrong here, only right.” - Nick

Try this with:

Sunshine Creek Ulysses Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

This is stylish and finessed cabernet, as the cooler Yarra Valley is want to produce, and that bit of elegance is welcome - it pulls on the reins of what is otherwise a full force, full bodied, beast of a wine. A swirl of red and blue fruit at the fore, earth, spice, tobacco, and cedar follow quickly behind. And with a 95pt score from Halliday too, what’s not to love?

Domaine des Orgnes Regal des Cigales Coteaux du Pont du Gard Rosé 2023

Rosé that ticks all the boxes, bursting with cherry, strawberry, grapefruit and a little herbal undertone that's got summer written all over it. Arguably the French do it best, and when talking about rosé it really is the south of the country that is the home of top quality rosé, especially when it comes to no fuss, light bodied, light coloured dry styles that are the perfect drink in the sun. And amazingly food friendly, too.

Marinated Spiced Lamb with Cucumber Yoghurt

SERVES 4–6

Somewhere between Greek tzatziki and Lebanese khyar bi laban, this cucumber yoghurt sauce is the perfect accompaniment to spiced lamb. Here, I have chosen loin chops, but cutlets or chump chops are perfect, too. Bahārāt simply means ‘spices’ in Arabic, and is a spice blend that varies depending on the region or family. I make my own at home, but it is readily available from Middle Eastern and select grocers.

INGREDIENTS

• 12 lamb loin chops

• 2 teaspoons sumac

• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated finely grated zest and juice of

• 1 lemon

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin

• olive oil, plus extra for drizzling sea salt and black pepper

BAHARAT

• 2 tablespoons cumin seeds

• 2 tablespoons coriander seeds

• 1 cinnamon stick, broken

• 2 teaspoons black peppercorns

• 1 teaspoon cloves

• 6 cardamom pods

• 2 allspice berries

• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

CUCUMBER YOGHURT

• 3 Lebanese cucumbers

• sea salt

• 350 g full-fat Greek yoghurt

• 1 garlic clove, finely grated

• 1 teaspoon sumac, plus extra for sprinkling handful of dill fronds, finely chopped, plus extra to serve handful of mint leaves, finely chopped, plus extra to serve

• 1 teaspoon dried mint juice of 1⁄2 lemon black pepper

RECIPE

For the bahārāt, place all the whole spices in a mortar and bash with the pestle until the cardamom pods open. Discard the papery outer pod and continue to grind until you have a fairly fine mix. Alternatively, use a spice grinder. Stir in the nutmeg. Store the bahārāt in an airtight jar for up to 1 year.

Place the lamb in a large non-reactive bowl and add 1 tablespoon of bahārāt, the sumac, garlic, lemon zest and juice and olive oil. Use your hands to rub the marinade into the lamb, ensuring it is well coated. Season well, then transfer to the fridge to marinate for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours. Bring to room temperature before cooking.

Meanwhile, for the cucumber yoghurt, coarsely grate the cucumbers and sit them in a colander over a bowl. Sprinkle over a good pinch of salt and toss to disperse it. Allow to sit and drain for 10–15 minutes. Squeeze out any excess liquid and transfer the cucumber to a bowl, along with the yoghurt, garlic, sumac, herbs and lemon juice. Season to taste, drizzle with some olive oil and top with a sprinkling of extra sumac.

Preheat a barbecue grill or chargrill pan over a medium–high heat. Cook the lamb chops for 5–6 minutes, turning halfway, until cooked to your liking. Allow to rest for 6–8 minutes, then serve with the cucumber yoghurt and extra dill and mint.

This recipe is an extract from “Good Cooking Every Day” by Julia Busuttil Nishimura, available now.