Merguez-spiced Slow Roast Shoulder of Lamb

Name: How to cook Merguez-spiced Slow Roast Shoulder of Lamb - cookcic.com
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Us

Introduce

Chef :

Joanne

Merguez-spiced Slow Roast Shoulder of Lamb

Shoulder of lamb is much more economical than leg of lamb but it does need to be cooked slowly. This is a deliciously flavoured dish from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, which is inspired by the North African spices used to make merguez sausages. I served it with cumin-spiked rice but you could also accompany it with mashed potatoes and greens as a Sunday roast as it makes lots of beautiful gravy.

Ingredient

Food ration :

6 servings

Cooking time :

6 mins

shoulder of lamb

1 tsp

cumin seeds

2 tsp

coriander seeds

1 tsp

fennel seeds

1 tsp

black peppercorns

pinch

cayenne or dried chilli

2 tsp

smoked paprika

garlic cloves, finely chopped

leaves

from 2 spikes of rosemary or 1 tsp dried rosemary

2 tsp

sea salt

2 tbsp

olive oil

1 tbsp

white or red vinegar

Cooking instructions

* Step 1

Place the cumin, coriander and fennel seeds and black peppercorns in a pestle and mortar and crush. Add the cayenne or chilli, smoked paprika, chopped garlic, rosemary, salt and olive oil and mix together to make a rub. Preheat the oven to 220C/Gas 7.

* Step 2

Place the lamb in a roasting tin and score slits all over the top with a sharp knife. Scrape the spice mix on top of the lamb and use your hands to rub it in all over, bottom and top, and pushing it into the slits.

* Step 3

Place the lamb in the hot oven and roast for about 25 minutes until smoking and slightly scorched on top. Remove from the oven. Reduce the temperature to 120C/Gas 1/2. Add the vinegar and a couple of glasses of water to the roasting tin (don't pour it over the meat). Cover with foil and return to the oven.

* Step 4

Cook the lamb slowly for 5-6 hours then remove from the oven and leave to rest for 20 minutes. Transfer the gravy to a pan and reduce or thicken if you wish. Shred the lamb, serve piled on top of cumin-spiked rice and with some hot juices drizzled over.

* Step 5

Leftovers can be frozen in the rest of the gravy or used the next day in wraps with sliced red pepper and sweet chilli sauce, or in a pilaf, or all three! There's even enough meat for the dog...