- 250g lamb mince
- 50g dried apricots
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 onion
- 3 eggs
- 400g tinned cherry tomatoes
- 1-2 tsp harissa
- 75g wholewheat couscous
- 1 butternut squash
- 1 orange
- A handful of flat leaf parsley
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 50g baby leaf spinach
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 400ml cold water
- 150ml boiling water
- 1.
Heat your oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Halve the squash and scoop out the seeds. Cut into 1-2cm chunks. You can leave the skin on as it will soften during cooking. Tumble the squash on to a lined baking tray. Drizzle with 1 tbsp oil and season well with salt and pepper. Toss together. Slide into the oven for 30 mins till soft. Set aside to cool a little.
- 2.
Peel and grate 1 garlic clove into a large bowl. Finely chop the parsley stalks and add to the bowl. Set the leaves aside. Finely chop the apricots and add those. Add 1 egg, 1/2-1 tsp harissa (it’s hot, so use less if you prefer a milder flavour) and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk together. Add the lamb mince and mix together with your hands.
- 3.
Roll the spiced lamb mince into walnut-sized balls, making roughly 8-12 of them. Place on a plate and cover. Pop into the fridge to chill for a few mins.
- 4.
Peel and finely chop the onion. Peel and grate the other garlic clove. Set a frying pan on a mediumhigh heat. Add 1 tbsp oil. Place the meatballs into the pan and cook for 5 mins, rolling occasionally so they brown on most sides. Lift out of the pan with a slotted spoon on to a clean plate.
- 5.
Add the onion to the pan and fry for 4-5 mins till soft. Add the garlic and ½ -1 tsp harissa (or less for less heat). Stir together for 1 min. Add the cherry tomatoes. Fill the tin with cold water (about 400ml) and pour in. Cover and simmer for 5 mins.
- 6.
Slide the browned meatballs back into the sauce. Turn to coat in the sauce. Cover again and simmer gently for 15 mins till the sauce has thickened and the meatballs have cooked through.
- 7.
While the meatballs simmer, tip the couscous into a large heatproof bowl. Add 1 tsp cumin and some salt and pepper. Grate in the orange zest. Chop the spinach and add that too. Pour over 150ml boiling water. Cover with a plate and leave to soak.
- 8.
Squeeze the juice from the orange. Pour half into the meatball pan. Taste, then add more orange juice or seasoning if you think it needs it. Make 2 wells in the sauce. Crack an egg into each well. Cover and cook for 2-4 mins till the whites are set and the yolks are as cooked as you like.
- 9.
Stir the roasted squash through the spiced couscous. Spoon into shallow bowls. Top with a generous helping of the meatballs, sauce and an egg each. Scatter over the parsley leaves.
