Recipe from The Roasting Tin cookbook
From Rukmini Iyer and her Roasting Tin series of cook books, this lamb is robust enough to stand up to strong flavours, and this Middle Eastern inspired leg of lamb with a harissa kick really delivers. Perfect to feed a crowd.
The Roasting Tin by Rukmini Iyer is published by Square Peg. Photography by David Loftus.
Serves Eight
INGREDIENTS
1 red onion, roughly sliced
1 x 2–2.5kg leg of lamb
1 head of garlic, halved
4 heaped tsp of harissa paste
1 tbsp of olive oil
350g of vine tomatoes
250g of Greek yogurt
1 bunch of fresh mint, finely chopped
2 handfuls of cous cous
Method
Preheat the oven to 130°C fan/150°C/gas 2. Line a roasting tin with the aubergine slices, then scatter over the onion. Place the leg of lamb on top of the vegetables, and tuck the halved garlic alongside.
Stab the lamb all over with a very sharp knife, then rub all over with the harissa paste. Sprinkle the meat and vegetables with the sea salt, then drizzle the oil over the garlic and vegetables. Transfer to the oven and roast for 30 minutes, uncovered, then cover with foil and roast for a further 2 hours.
After 2 hours, add the vine tomatoes to the tin, then cover and return the lamb to the oven for a further hour. Throw in the cous cous to cook in the juices in the roasting tin for the last 10 minutes
Meanwhile, mix together the Greek yogurt and mint for the accompaniment.
Allow the meat to rest for at least 15 minutes before serving with the cous cous, vegetables and yogurt.