Greek Lamb Loin Salad with Chilled Greek Olive Ratatouille

 Ingredients:

Lamb:

• 1 1/2 lbs. lamb loin, trimmed of all visible fat
• 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp. harissa paste
• salt 
• freshly ground black pepper

Ratatouille:

• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1 yellow squash, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 yellow bell pepper chopped
• 1 Japanese eggplant, chopped
• 1/2 bulb fennel, chopped
• 2 oz. fresh minced garlic
• 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh basil
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh oregano
• 2 oz. balsamic vinegar
• 2 oz. pitted kalamata olives, chopped for garnish
• 4 oz. crumbled feta cheese, for garnish
• 8 sprigs fennel, for garnish

Makes 8 Servings

To make the lamb: Rub the lamb with the olive oil, harissa paste, salt and pepper. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

To make the ratatouille: Saute the zucchini, squash, peppers, eggplant, fennel and garlic in the olive oil until soft but not overcooked. Drain off excess liquid and stir in the tomato paste. Cook 1 more minute. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Add the rosemary, basil, oregano, and 1 ounce of the vinegar. Place in a glass or stainless steel bowl and refrigerate overnight. 

To Serve: Preheat the grill.

Grill the lamb to the desired temperature and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Firmly press the chilled ratatouille into a ring mold ( or a nice round dollop in the center of a plate if no mold is available) with  a spoon, dividing up into 8 plates. Slice the lamb and arrange on top of the ratatouille. Garnish with the olives, cheese, remaining balsamic vinegar, and fennel sprigs. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 7 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Cookbook. Grilled lamb has become a decadent guilty pleasure for me. This lamb dinner is literally a work of art. This recipe was developed by Executive Chef Geoffrey Cousineu of the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, Florida. The grilled lamb is quite delicious along with the Greek olive ratatouille. The ratatouille is quite flavorful and delicious it goes well with chicken, pork, certain kinds of fish and even eggs. This dish will be a favorite in your house after eating this, trust me.