Recipe: Lamb neck, baked pita, figs, feta, tomato, cucumber, mint and Kalamata olives.

Lamb neck, baked pita, figs, feta, tomato, cucumber, mint and Kalamata olives.

Serves 8:

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C.

2. Place a roasting dish on your hob at medium heat or, if you’re roasting in a ceramic or Pyrex dish, place a frying pan on the heat.

3. Season the lamb with salt and pepper and brush with 1 teaspoon of the oil. Put it in the heated roasting dish or frying pan and cook until well browned on all sides. Remove the lamb and add the pita bread, tossing it around to coat in the juices. Return the lamb and sit it on the bread in the roasting dish then roast in the oven until the lamb is cooked medium, between 10 – 15 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets. Remove the lamb to a plate and rest in a warm place.

4. Drizzle the vinegar over the pita, add the olives and half the remaining olive oil and toss together. Bake until the bread is crisp, about 10 - 12 minutes, then remove from the oven.

5. While the bread is baking, cut the tomatoes in half crossways, then gently squeeze out and discard the seeds. Cut the flesh into chunks and mix with the cucumber, mint, feta, oregano and remaining olive oil.

6. Remove the stems from the figs, and peel if you like, then slice and add to the tomato salad. Toss everything together and season lightly (the feta will be salty) then coarsely grind on ¼ teaspoon of black pepper.

7. To serve, pile the tomato salad on top of the crisp pita. Slice the lamb then lay it on top and drizzle over any juices that have come from it while resting. Tuck in the lemon wedges.

For more delicious New Zealand Lamb recipes go to www.loveourlamb.co.uk

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