I think my favourite way to eat hummus is like this, with tender meaty lamb fillet and some fresh mint. You can get pretty good hummus from the supermarket, but if you feel like making your own, puree together a can of chickpeas with a clove of garlic and 3 tablespoons each of lemon juice, tahini and liquid from the chickpeas can. Too easy.
If lamb fillets are hard to find, chicken thigh fillets, sausages or even steak will all work.
Lamb Fillet with Mint and Hummus
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 4 lamb fillets finely sliced
- lemon juice
- 6-8 tablespoons hummus
- 1 small bunch mint leaves picked
Instructions
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Mix cumin with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season. Coat lamb with the oil.
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Place a large frying pan on a medium-high heat and cook lamb for about 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds or so.
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When the lamb is cooked, remove from the pan and sprinkle with a squeeze of lemon juice.
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Divide hummus between 2 plates. Top with lamb and scatter over mint leaves.
Variations
other meat – replace the lamb with beef fillet, good-quality steak, sausages, chicken breast or thighs. Cheaper lamb chops will also work well.
vegan – replace the lamb with mushrooms or eggplant (aubergine), sliced and pan-fried until tender – or use grilled aubergine from the deli or a jar.
vegetarian – serve mint & hummus with grilled or pan fried halloumi or eggplant(aubergine) slices or cooked lentils.
different herbs – replace the mint with parsley or coriander.
more substantial (carb lovers) – serve with pita bread, tortillas, couscous or quinoa.
more substantial (low carb) – serve extra lamb. Or add some walnuts.
paleo (gluten, grain + dairy-free) – replace hummus with almond hummus, broccoli hummus, babaganoush or tahini lemon sauce.
keto / ultra low carb – replace hummus with almond hummus, broccoli hummus, babaganoush, tahini lemon sauce or mayo.
more veg – serve with a green salad or tabbouleh.
lower carb – replace hummus with tahini sauce (4 tablespoons each tahini, lemon juice, water and olive oil).
Waste Avoidance Strategy
ground cumin – pantry.
lamb fillets – freeze.
lemon – will keep in a plastic bag in the fridge for months.
hummus – will keep in the fridge for a few weeks. Can be frozen.
mint – best to use for another meal. leaves can be frozen but will wilt when defrosted so not ideal. Alternatively make a mint oil by packing washed and dried leaves in a clean dry glass jar and covering with extra virgin olive oil use mint oil to serve with lamb, chicken or fish.