Ground Lamb Salad with Pita Croutons

Name: Ground Lamb Salad with Pita Croutons
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 pita breads, torn into 1-inch pieces; 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; ½ teaspoon kosher salt; ½ teaspoon aleppo pepper or sumac; 1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 lb ground lamb; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; ½ teaspoon pepper; ½ teaspoon aleppo pepper; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon paprika; 4 cups baby arugula; 1 cup sliced cucumber; ½ small red onion,thinly sliced; ½ cup Kalamata olives; 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved; ¼ cup sliced pepperoncini; ½ cup crumbled feta; SideDish Greek Vinaigrette, to taste

Alex Snodgrass

Servings

Cook Time

30 minutes

Ingredients

For the Pita Croutons:

2 pita breads, torn into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon aleppo pepper or sumac

For the Ground Lamb:

1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 lb ground lamb
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon aleppo pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon paprika

For the Salad:

4 cups baby arugula
1 cup sliced cucumber
½ small red onion,thinly sliced
½ cup Kalamata olives
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
¼ cup sliced pepperoncini
½ cup crumbled feta
SideDish Greek Vinaigrette, to taste

Method

Make the Pita Croutons:

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Toss the torn pita pieces with olive oil, salt, and Aleppo pepper (or sumac) on a baking sheet.
Spread in an even layer and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden and crispy. Let cool.

Cook the Ground Lamb:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground lamb, breaking it up with a spoon.
Cook for 6-8 minutes, or until browned and cooked through. Drain off excess fat.
Season with salt, pepper, Aleppo pepper, cumin, oregano, and paprika. Remove from heat, cover and keep warm.

Assemble the Salad:

In shallow bowls, layer the baby arugula, cucumbers, red onion, Kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, and sliced pepperoncini. Drizzle with SideDish Greek Vinaigrette.
Add the cooked lamb and crispy pita croutons. Sprinkle with crumbled feta!