Ingredients

• 125ml (1/2 cup) olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 600g minced lamb
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped basil leaves
• 50g (1/2 cup) dried breadcrumbs
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1 egg
• Grilled pita bread (optional), to serve

Herb & pine nut salad

• 1 lemon, juiced
• 60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 40g baby spinach
• 1 cup loosely packed basil leaves
• 1/2 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced into rings
• 80g (1/2 cup) pine nuts, roasted

Method

• Step 1 Preheat oven to 200C. To make rissoles, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a small frying pan over high heat. Add onion, garlic, cumin and paprika, and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft. Cool slightly.
• Step 2 Place onion mixture in a large bowl with mince, herbs, breadcrumbs, zest and egg. Season with salt and pepper. Using your hands, combine well, then shape lamb mixture into 8 x 7cm patties.
• Step 3 Line a large oven tray with baking paper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large frying pan over medium–high heat. Cook half the rissoles for 30 seconds each side or until browned, then transfer to oven tray. Repeat with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and rissoles. Transfer tray to oven and cook for 12 minutes or until rissoles are cooked through.
• Step 4 Meanwhile, to make salad, whisk lemon juice, oil and paprika in a small bowl. Place spinach, basil, parsley, onion, pine nuts and three-quarters of the dressing in a large bowl. Gently toss to combine.
• Step 5 Divide salad and rissoles among plates. Drizzle with remaining dressing. Serve with pita bread, if using.