Sour cherry kebab sandwich

Ingredients

• 500 g beef or lamb mince (see Note)
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp chilli flakes
• ¼ tsp ground cumin
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp oil, for frying
• Small pita breads, roasted eggplant purée (or baba ganoush), toasted pine nuts, parsley leaves, tahini dip, to serve

For the cherry sauce

• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 cups pitted sour cherries (jarred), liquid reserved
• 1 tbsp sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses

Chilling time: 15 minutes

Instructions

1. Begin by preparing the meatballs. In a large bowl, combine the mince, salt, pepper, chilli flakes, cumin and garlic. Knead well for 5-10 minutes, or until the mixture is sticky and smooth. Shape into small walnut-sized balls (around 20 g each). Place onto a plate and refrigerate for 15 minutes before using.
2. Once ready to cook, heat half the oil in a large frying pan. Fry half the meatballs, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through. Remove to a clean plate and repeat with the remaining oil and meatballs.
3. Meanwhile, to make the cherry sauce, melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the cherries and cook, stirring, for a few minutes. Add some of the reserved cherry juice from the jar, the sugar, salt and pomegranate molasses. Add a little water if the mixture is too thick. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for a further 5 minutes, until the sauce is a deep, glossy red.
4. To assemble, halve the pita breads and fill with eggplant purée, meatballs and sauce, pine nuts, parsley leaves and tahini dip.

Note

This recipe benefits from a medium-fatty mince – you can ask your butcher for this!

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