Mint & Cucumber Lamb Salad

Serves 2

1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp olive oil
sea salt & cracked black pepper
4 x 100g lamb fillets, trimmed
1 small lebanese cucumber, halved & sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 vine-ripened tomato, cut into wedges
1 cup mint leaves

yoghurt dressing
1/2 cup (125g) thick natural yoghurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp chopped mint

Preheat barbecue or char-grill to medium-high.
To make dressing, combine ingredients & set aside.
Combine the cumin, oil, salt & pepper & brush over lamb fillets.
Char-grill for 3 minutes on each side or until cooked to your liking, then slice.
Combine cucumber, onion, tomato & mint.
Top with lamb & spoon over dressing.
Serve with lebanese or turkish bread.

Peach & Rosewater Tartlets

Makes 6

1 cup plain flour
1 1/2 tsp caster sugar
75g butter, chopped
2-3 tbsp iced water
3 cups water
1 1/2 cups sparkling wine
1 1/2 cups caster sugar, extra
1 1/2 tsp rosewater
2 x 5cm pieces lemon rind
3 white peaches
eggwhite, for brushing
sugar, for sprinkling

ricotta filling
1 cup (250g) fresh ricotta cheese
1/4 cup caster sugar

Place flour, sugar & butter in food processor & process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
With the motor running, add enough iced water to form a smooth dough. Process until just combined.
Form into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap & place in fridge for 30 minutes.
Place water, sparkling wine, sugar, rosewater & lemon rind in saucepan over low heat & stir until sugar is dissolved.
Add peaches, increase heat & simmer for 8-10 minutes or until soft.
Remove peaches & cool slightly.
Remove skins & halve, removing stone.
Rapidly simmer poaching liquid for 30 minutes or until thick & syrupy. Set aside to cool.
Roll pastry between sheets of non-stick baking paper to 2mm thickness.
Cut into six 12cm rounds.
Cover & place in fridge for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 180?C.
Brush pastry rounds with eggwhite, sprinkle with sugar & bake for 10 minutes or until crisp & golden. Cool.
For ricotta filling, place ricotta & sugar in food processor & process until smooth.
To serve, spread pastry rounds with filling, place a peach half on top of each round & spoon over some of the syrup.
Well worth all that effort!

Watermelon Mint Daiquiris

Use whatever fruit's in season - mango, raspberry, pineapple, guava...

Serves 2

ice
120ml white rum
2 tbsp sugar syrup (see below)
juice of 2 lemons
2 cups chopped watermelon
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves

Put ingredients in blender & mix till ice is crushed & daiquiri is smooth & pourable.
Alternatively, crush ice, put into glasses, combine remaining ingredients & pour over top of crushed ice, like a snow cone.

Sugar Syrup

1 cup sugar
125ml water

Mix ingredients in saucepan over low heat till sugar dissolves.
Boil for 5 minutes or until slightly syrupy.
Chill before using.