Grilled lamb with tahini sauce and pumpkin tabouli

Serves: 8-10

Preparation: 15 minutes

Cooking: 10 minutes

• 600g pumpkin, cut into 2cm pieces
• 600g lamb backstrap 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 cup instant couscous
• 1 cup frozen broad beans
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 200g tub Greek-style natural yoghurt
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
• ½ cup mint leaves, coarsely chopped
• 2 green shallots, sliced
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon mixed spice 
• ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 220°C. Line baking tray with baking paper. Place pumpkin pieces on prepared tray and bake in oven for 40 minutes or until tender and golden. Reserve. 
2. Rub lamb with oil and season with freshly ground black pepper. Heat frying pan and cook lamb over high heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until cooked to your liking. Scatter with dried oregano. Place on a warm plate and lightly cover with foil. Rest meat for 10 minutes before slicing. 
3. Place couscous in a bowl and pour over 1 cup boiling water. Soak for 2 minutes, fluff up with a fork. Boil, steam, or microwave broad beans until hot. Peel off outer skin if desired. Fold into couscous. Keep warm.
4. Place tahini in a mixing bowl. Add lemon juice and stir to combine (if the tahini is very firm, add 1-2 tablespoons of boiling water to loosen it). Stir in yoghurt and garlic. 
5. Combine roasted pumpkin with chopped parsley, mint, green shallots, and tomato. Whisk together the oil, lemon juice, mixed spice, and cracked black pepper. Gently toss through salad. 
6. Thickly slice lamb and drizzle with tahini sauce. Serve with bean couscous and pumpkin tabouli.

Tip: Rare is soft when pressed, medium is firm when pressed, and well done is very firm when pressed.

This article is featured in National Seniors Australia’s quarterly member magazine, Our Generation. 

Become a member today and receive a yearly subscription to Our Generation digital magazine as part of your membership, along with exclusive discounts, competitions, branch access and more! 

Your membership directly funds our advocacy and research work that benefits older Australians including fixing pension poverty, tackling health care costs, and improving aged care.