Harissa lamb with mint, pistachios and yoghurt

Serves 4

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Marinating time: 4 hours
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
4 lamb rumps, around 200g each 
4 tbsp harissa 
1 tbsp olive oil 
2 tbsp of flavourless oil 
30g of pistachio nuts, toasted and roughly chopped 

Ingredients for the mint sauce 
4 tbsp of malt vinegar 
1 tbsp caster sugar 
4 shallots, finely sliced 
4 tbsp of olive oil 
1 bunch of mint,  finely chopped 

Ingredients for the yoghurt sauce 
150g of Greek yoghurt 
¼ cucumber, finely grated 
½ tsp ground cumin 
1 tsp harissa 
Salt 

Method
In a Tupperware container or bowl, put the lamb, harissa paste and the olive oil and with your hands coat the lamb with the harissa. Cover and put into the fridge for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours. 

When you are ready to cook, preheat the oven to 200c.

Start with the mint sauce, heat the vinegar in a small saucepan. Add the sugar and shallots and take off of the heat.  Put to one side. 

To make the yoghurt sauce by mixing all the ingredients together in a bowl.  Season to taste. 

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and put the lamb in, fat side down.  Cook for 5-7 minutes, being careful that the harissa does not burn, turning over and cooking for a further 5 minutes.  Put into the oven and bake for a further 5 minutes or so.  Check the lamb is cooked to your liking then rest for 5 minutes. 

Alternatively you can cook this on the braai (BBQ).  Cook initially on direct heat to get some colour, for a few minutes each side and move to indirect heat for a further 10 minutes, turning every couple of minutes. 

Finish the mint sauce by whisking in the olive oil and then stirring through the fresh mint.  

To serve, carve the lamb, and put next to the yoghurt sauce with the mint sauce to one side and the pistachios scattered over the top.  I like this with fresh flat bread but couscous would also work well. 

- Recipe taken from New Classics by Marcus Wareing