Claudine Boulstridge’s lamb lollipops with mint yoghurt dip and pickled cucumber. Photograph: Helen Cathcart/Pan Macmillan. Food styling: Tamara Vos. Prop styling: Anna Wilkins. View image in fullscreen Claudine Boulstridge’s lamb lollipops with mint yoghurt dip and pickled cucumber. Photograph: Helen Cathcart/Pan Macmillan. Food styling: Tamara Vos. Prop styling: Anna Wilkins. Food Chicken nuggets, lamb lollipops and pitta pockets: Claudine Boulstridge’s family favourites – recipes Cooking for kids doesn’t have to be a chore: these three meals are quick, full of flavour and, crucially, fun both to make and to eat
Prefer the Guardian on Google F amily meals don’t need to mean hours in the kitchen or a mountain of washing-up. These crisp chicken nuggets are a healthier homemade favourite that kids absolutely love, while the lamb lollipops are fun and surprisingly simple; the stuffed pitta pockets, meanwhile, are perfect for lunches, after-school dinners or eating on the go. Above all, all three dishes are built for real family life: quick, full of flavour and designed to make mealtimes a little easier and a lot more enjoyable.
This delicious recipe is a firm family favourite, and it’s ready in no time. Children love anything on a stick, especially when they get to dip it into a creamy yoghurt sauce. You can cook these in the oven, if you prefer – they won’t be quite as golden or crisp, but they’ll still taste lovely.
For the lamb lollipops 4 tbsp dried barberries , or finely chopped dried cranberries or sour cherries 500g lamb mince 1 egg 1 tsp ground allspice ¾ tsp ground cumin ¾ tsp baharat spice mix , or ras el hanout or shawarma seasoning 1½ tbsp tomato puree , or ketchup Flaky sea salt
For the yoghurt dip 200g thick kefir yoghurt , or greek yoghurt 2 tsp dried mint 2 tsp sumac (optional)
For the cucumber 1 medium cucumber , skin on, shaved into ribbons with a peeler 2 tbsp cider vinegar 2 tsp maple syrup 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds (don’t worry, they aren’t hot)
Mix all the cucumber ingredients and a half-teaspoon of flaky sea salt in a serving bowl, then set aside. Stir and toss a few times if you can before serving, so the cucumber gets properly coated in the liquid. You can keep or discard the liquid when you serve.
Soak the barberries in two tablespoons of just-boiled water for a few minutes, then drain. Mix all the lamb lollipop ingredients in a medium bowl with three-quarters of a teaspoon of flaky sea salt, until well combined. Divide and shape into 12 thin oval cylinders (see picture top), each weighing about 50g, pressing them tightly together to compact them.
Put a large, nonstick saute pan on a medium-high heat. Once hot, add six of the lamb lollipops and dry-fry for seven to eight minutes, turning a few times, until golden all over and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and keep warm while you repeat with the remaining lollipops.
While the lamb is cooking, make the dip. Put the yoghurt in a small, wide serving bowl, sprinkle with half the dried mint and half the sumac, if using, and stir. Top with the remaining dried mint and sumac, if using.
Push the lamb on to wooden sticks and serve with the yoghurt dip and cucumber ribbons alongside.
View image in fullscreen Claudine Boulstridge’s chicken nuggets with celeriac fries. This is a great way to use up cooked chicken, transforming leftovers into quick, easy, delicious and minimally processed nuggets. You could use two chicken breasts instead of the thighs, but t…