Oh, we are blessed that malt vinegar has truly been relegated to preserve the odd pickled onion! Now if you have made it through the white wine vinegar and cider vinegar craze, it’s even time to move on from Balsamic vinegar to try one of the new fruit pulp vinegars. They are delicious and add a new flavour to special summer salads.

Ingredients

• 1 tsp cardamom seeds, toasted
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup mint leaves
• 1 cup toasted Israeli couscous
• 2 lamb strip loins
• 200 grams baby carrots
• 1 cup frozen or fresh broad beans
• ¼ cup fig vinegar
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 8-10 whole figs
• 1 orange, peeled and segmented

Method

1. In a mortar and pestle, pummel together the toasted cardamom seeds, olive oil, ¼ cup of the mint leaves and the orange rind.
2. Blanch and peel the carrots and broad beans. Cook the Israeli couscous in boiling salted water for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain well and toss with the oil mixture.
3. Season the lamb well with salt and pepper and cook in a well-oiled frying pan for approximately 10 minutes, turning regularly. Alternatively cook on the barbecue. Set aside to rest. 3.
4. Diagonally slice the lamb into thin pieces and toss through the couscous with the remaining mint leaves, orange segments, figs and fig vinegar and olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper. Serve in shallow bowls or deep plates with rocket leaves if wished.