I have decided that I *heart* Za'atar, a Middle Eastern spice. Ooo it is yummoh and when I spied this recipe in one of my Chunky Cookbooks I just had to make it. And I thought I'd share it with you. It is called;
Za'atar-spiced Veal Loin Chops With Fattoush
Now to begin with I have always been interested in knowing what Fattoush was, as it is widely eaten around these parts and I never knew what it consisted of. This recipe was a win-win, but when I went to the supermarket, no Aussie/NZ Veal on hand, or even Aussie/NZ Lamb Loin chops (wasn't keen on the Indian Veal or the local goat while I'm at it), so I ended up with a pack of NZ Lamb Cutlets. Noice.
So here is the recipe, taken from page 369 of The Australian Women's Weekly 'Fast' chunky book. =)
4 x 200g veal loin chops
za'atar
1 tablespoon sumac
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
(or you could be like me and buy all that already made and in a herb container! *cheat cheat*)
fattoush
2 large pitta breads
4 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
2 lebanese cucumbers, seeded, sliced thinly
1 medium green capsicum, cut into 2cm pieces
3 green/spring onions, sliced thinly
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
1/2 cup (125 ml) olive oil
1/4 cup (60 ml) lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1. Preheat grill.
2. Make za'atar.
3. Make fattoush.
4. Cook veal on heated oiled grill plate (or grill or barbecue) until browned both sides and cooked. Sprinkle about a tablespoon of the za'atar equally over the veal; serve with fattoush.
za'atar Combine ingredients in a small bowl.
fattoush Grill bread until crisp; break into small pieces. Combine tomato, cucumber, capsicum, onion and herbs in a large bowl. Just before serving, toss bread and combined oil, juice and garlic into salad.
Serves 4.
Here's a pic - not the best lighting but I can tell you - it was delicious and I will be making it again!
