Lamb shawarma
Serve this wonderfully tender meat with flatbreads, yoghurt and a lemony slaw.
Serves 6
4 onions, peeled (about 500g)
3 tbsp ras el hanout
2 tsp salt
½ tsp white pepper
1 shoulder of lamb, on the bone (1.8-2kg)
For the slaw
½ tsp salt
½ white cabbage, shredded (about 350g)
Juice of 1 lemon
1 small bunch of parsley, chopped (about 15-20g)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Seeds of 1 small pomegranate
1 Preheat the oven to 240C/475F/gas mark 9. Puree 2 onions in a food processor with the ras el hanout, salt and pepper. Slice the other 2 onions and lay them on the base of a deep roasting dish big enough to hold the lamb. Pat the pureed onion mix all over the lamb, top and bottom, and lay it on the bed of onions.
2 Put the roasting dish uncovered in the upper-middle part of the very hot oven for around 30 minutes, by which point it should have started to brown (it may take another 10 minutes if your oven doesn’t run very hot).
3 Once browned, pour in enough water to reach halfway up the lamb joint, then cover the dish. Reduce the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6 and roast for 1 hour. Uncover, baste with the liquid at the bottom of the dish, then re-cover and return to the oven. Reduce the heat to 180C/350F/gas mark 4 and cook for 1 hour more. Baste again, re-cover and cook for a further hour. Basting is important, as it will help to soften the lamb, so don’t skip doing this. After 3½ hours, the meat should be really soft and fall away from the bone easily.
4 To make the slaw, sprinkle the salt over the shredded cabbage, mix and allow to sit for 10‑15 minutes. Add the lemon juice, parsley and vegetable oil and mix well. Sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds.
5 Set your table with flatbread, some yoghurt, a bowl of mint leaves to cool, pickled chillies if you want some heat and some cabbage salad for crunch. Bring the lamb to the table and dish it out with a large spoon.
Itamar Srulovich and Sarit Packer, Honey and Co (Saltyard Books)
Moroccan cassoulet
A veritable lamb feast incorporating meatballs, fillets and sausages, married by a medley of north-African flavours.
Serves 6-8
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp turmeric
2 lamb neck fillets (around 650g), cut into 2cm slices
4 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
½ bunch coriander, leaves and stalks separated, both finely chopped
400g tinned plum tomatoes, drained and rinsed under water
1 cinnamon stick
3 x 400g tinned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Salt
For the meatballs
1 garlic clove
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp smoked paprika
500g lamb mince
For the breadcrumbs
175g fresh breadcrumbs
2 tbsp harissa
1 tbsp olive oil
To finish
2 tbsp olive oil
6-8 merguez or other lamb sausages
A squeeze of lemon, to taste
Harissa, to serve
1 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. In a pestle and mortar or spice grinder, grind the cumin, coriander and peppercorns, then add to a mixing bowl along with the ginger, turmeric and a few generous pinches of salt. Add the lamb neck and rub the spices in well, then set aside.
2 In a large casserole, warm up the oil over a medium-low heat and add the onions, garlic, chopped coriander stalks and pinch of salt. Leave to soften, stirring occasionally, for around 8 minutes.
3 Turn the heat up to medium-high and stir in the lamb neck and accompanying spices. Add the plum tomatoes and cinnamon stick, then pour in enough water to not quite cover the meat. Put a lid on top, then put in the oven for 60 minutes, stirring in the chickpeas after 35 minutes.
4 Meanwhile, prepare the meatballs. In a pestle and mortar, bash the garlic clove and a generous pinch of salt into a paste. Add the cumin and fennel seeds and crush them lightly. Scoop into a bowl and add the paprika, lamb mince and the chopped coriander leaves. Season generously, mix well with your hands, then shape into about 16 golfball-size spheres. Put in the fridge to firm up.
5 Meanwhile, mix the breadcrumbs with the harissa and oil and put to one side.
6 Put a frying pan over a high heat and add 1 tbsp of oil. Brown the meatballs briefly, just to get a bit of colour on the outside, then do the same for the sausages.
7 Remove the pan from the oven and check that the lamb neck is soft (return to the oven if not). Taste the chickpeas and adjust the seasoning if necessary. At this stage, you can skim away a little lamb fat if you want. Squeeze in a little lemon and push the meatballs and the sausages into the liquid, adding a little more water if it appears dry. Sprinkle over a thick layer of breadcrumbs, then drizzle over the final tbsp of oil before placing in the oven for 30-45 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are crisp.
8 Remove the dish from the oven and leave for 10 minutes, so that all the juices can be soaked up by the chickpeas. Serve with a green salad and a little extra harissa, if you like.
Georgia Levy and Ben Benton, thekitchencooperative.com
Roasted lamb neck with baked squash and capers
A much underused cut, neck is incredibly versatile and can handle these hefty flavours.
Serves 4
700g lamb neck fillet, trimmed of fat and cut into 4 portions
A splash of olive oil
Salt and black pepper
2 butternut squash (about 1.2kg), unpeeled and cut into thin wedges
1 red chilli, halved, deseeded and roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
100g unsalted butter, softened
1 tbsp honey
4 salted anchovy fillets, finely chopped
30g capers
Zest and juice of ½ lemon
1 Put the lamb in a bowl and drizzle over some olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside to marinate.
2 Heat and oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Put the squash pieces on a baking tray. Drizzle over some olive oil and add the chilli, garlic, 50g of the butter and a good amount of seasoning. Mix the squash through with your hands ensuring it’s fully coated. Put the tray in the oven and cook until the squash starts to caramelise – about 15 minutes – then turn the heat down to 160C/325F/gas mark 3 and continue to cook until the squash becomes tender and soft (about another 10 minutes). When the squash is ready, drizzle with honey and reserve.
3 Heat a saute pan over a high heat and add a glug of olive oil. Add the lamb and cook for 3 minutes on each side to caramelise, then turn the heat to medium and add the remaining butter. Cook until the butter starts to turn nut brown, then add the anchovies, capers, lemon juice and zest. Turn off the heat and leave everything to rest for 5 minutes before serving. The lamb should still be nice and pink. Divide the roast squash between four plates, then cut the lamb into chunks and finish with the brown butter sauce.
Ben Tish, saltyard.co.uk
Korean-style lamb chops
Sweet and tangy, Korean gochujang chilli paste is the secret ingredient here. Find it at Tesco, souschef.co.uk or your local Asian supermarket. Serve with a cool cucumber salad.
Serves 4
2 racks of lamb, cut into chops (about 12 chops)
For the marinade
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp caster sugar
2 tbsp mirin
3cm piece ginger, peeled
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tbsp fresh chopped pineapple
1 tsp Korean chilli powder
1 tbsp sesame oil
For the chilli sauce
3 tbsp gochujang chilli paste
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 Pulse the marinade ingredients in a food processor to combine. Pour it over the chops and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
2 In a small bowl, combine all the chilli sauce ingredients and set aside.
3 Heat your barbecue or chargrill pan. Remove the chops from the marinade. Wipe off the excess and lightly brush with a little oil. Grill for 2 minutes on each side and brush a small amount of the chilli sauce on both sides. Wrap in foil to rest for 10 minutes before serving with the chilli sauce and a cucumber salad.
Jennifer Joyce, jenniferjoyce.co.uk
Middle-Eastern shepherd’s pie
Nothing says comfort quite like a shepherd’s pie, enriched here with sweet spices and pine nuts.
Serves 6
400g maris piper potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 onion, finely diced
2 tbsp tomato puree
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground coriander
1 pinch ground nutmeg
20g pine nuts
1 tsp cinnamon
350g minced lamb
10g parsley, chopped
50g butter, melted
100ml buttermilk (or milk)
1 Cook the potatoes in salted boiling water for 15-20 minutes, or until very tender.
2 Meanwhile, heat the oil in a ovenproof casserole and add the onion and tomato puree. Cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes.
3 Add all of the spices and fry for 1 minute. Add the lamb, season well and cook, stirring occasionally for around 8 minutes, or until the lamb has cooked through. Add the pine nuts and parsley, then take it off the heat.
4 Set the oven grill to medium. Drain the potatoes, add ¾ of the butter and all the buttermilk, season well and mash the potato. Spoon over the lamb, dab the last of the butter on top and grill for 5-8 minutes, until brown.
Olia Hercules, oliahercules.com
Lamb cooked in milk
Miraculously tender. Reduce the milky cooking liquor for an excellent sauce – or stir through some buttery mashed potato.
Serves 6-8
1 leg of lamb (about 3kg)
1 tbsp oil
50g butter
2 litres sheep’s milk (or cow’s milk)
2 bay leaves
1 onion studded with 6 cloves
A head of garlic, cut in half across the cloves
A few sprigs of thyme
A grating of nutmeg
A twist of orange peel
Salt and black pepper
1 Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/gas mark 2. Season the leg of lamb with salt and pepper, then brown in a large frying pan with the oil and butter. Place in a large, ovenproof casserole with a lid.
2 Pour the milk into a saucepan with the bay leaves, the clove-studded onion, garlic, thyme, nutmeg and orange peel and bring to a simmer.
3 Pour the milk mix over the lamb in the casserole and cover with the lid. Put in the oven and cook for 4 hours or so, until the meat is falling off the bone.
4 Serve on the bone at the table, and allow your guests to carve the meat with a spoon.
Nicholas Balfe, salonbrixton.co.uk
Lahmacun
These spiced Turkish flatbreads are delicious stuffed with handfuls of fresh flat-leaf parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Makes 8
400g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
7g sachet instant yeast
1 tsp salt
1 tsp caster sugar
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing
220-250ml warm water
For the topping
400g minced lamb
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 green pepper, finely chopped
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 tsp sumac
1 tsp red pepper flakes (or ½ tsp mild chilli powder)
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp allspice
To serve
Lemon wedges
A bunch of flat-leaf parsley
1 To make the base, mix the flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Add the oil and just enough warm water to form a soft dough. Tip out on to a lightly floured surface, and knead for 10 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover and leave to stand until doubled in size – about 1 hour.
2 Mix all of the topping ingredients together with plenty of seasoning, then set aside until ready to use.
3 Heat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Grease a couple of large baking trays with oil. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each portion out on a lightly floured surface to a thin, roughly 15cm-diameter disc.
4 Spread each of the bases with spiced lamb mixture, leaving a small border around the edge. Transfer the trays to the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, until the base is golden and the lamb is cooked and juicy. Remove from the oven, then serve with a handful of flat-leaf parsley and a squeeze of lemon.
Rosie Reynolds, rosiereynolds.co.uk
Lamb and turnip croquettes
Sweet turnips pair beautifully with lamb. Cook the lamb and turnip mash in advance, then make the croquettes when you’re ready. The Bengali five-spice mix can be found in supermarkets and online.
Serves 4-6
A drizzle of rapeseed oil
500g lamb neck, cut into 2cm cubes
1 tbsp grated ginger
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
500ml chicken or lamb stock
200ml water
For the turnips
4 turnips, peeled and chopped
1 tsp turmeric
Sea salt
A generous splash of groundnut oil
50g fine cornmeal/polenta
For the croquettes
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tsp panch phoran (Bengali five-spice mix)
2.5cm piece of ginger, grated
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
A handful of chopped fenugreek leaves (optional)
1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
200g tin tomatoes, whizzed in a food processor
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tsp sugar
Plain flour, for coating
3 eggs, beaten
300g panko breadcrumbs
Oil, for deep frying
1 Pour a little rapeseed oil into a casserole and heat. Rub the lamb with the ginger and garlic, toss and cook until browned on all sides. Pour the stock and water over the lamb, bring to the boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook slowly for 4 hours until the meat is falling apart. Strain, reserving the liquid for a soup later. Set the meat aside to cool, then tear it into small shreds.
2 Meanwhile, place the turnips in a heavy-based pan along with 1 tsp of turmeric, some salt and just enough water to cover them. Put the lid on the pan and cook until the turnips are tender and mashable. Use a manual masher to break them up. Add in the fine cornmeal or polenta, mix well and continue to cook over a low heat, stirring continually for 3 minutes. Set aside.
3 In another pan, saute the onion and panch phoran in the oil over a medium heat until caramelised. Stir in the ginger, garlic, fenugreek leaves and chillies, then soften for 3 minutes. Pour in the tomatoes, tomato puree and season with salt and sugar. Reduce until jammy, then stir into the turnips. Set aside to cool before mixing into the shredded lamb. Roll the mixture into small, gobstopper-size balls, place on a tray lined with greaseproof paper and refrigerate for half an hour, or until they have become a little firm.
4 Roll the croquettes in flour, then in beaten egg and then breadcrumbs. Once they have all been breadcrumbed, put them back into the fridge for five minutes to harden slightly. Deep-fry in hot oil until golden and crisp. Serve hot with a wedge of lemon and mint chutney if desired.
Ravinder Bhogal
Flaky pastry with lamb and peas
Buttery puff pastry filled with savoury lamb – or Turkish talaş böreği – make a great lunchbox filler.
Serves 4
600g strong flour
1 tsp salt
Juice of ½ lemon
210ml soda water
80ml water
For the lamb
155g fresh shelled peas
1 small sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1cm cubes
1 baby carrot, peeled and chopped into 1cm rounds
1 brown onion, finely sliced
500g lamb backstrap or trimmed lamb leg, chopped into 2cm cubes
2 tbsp plain flour, plus extra for dusting
2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing
½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
½ tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
250g butter
2 eggs
1 To make the dough, sift the strong flour into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle and add the salt and lemon juice. Slowly add the soda water and tap water. Knead for 5 minutes into a hard dough. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and rest for 30 minutes.
2 Put the peas in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for 1 minute, then plunge into iced water for 30 seconds. Strain and set aside.
3 Toss the sweet potato, carrot and onion and the lamb in the plain flour, then shake off the excess. Set aside.
4 Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Drop a crumb of bread into the oil. If it browns in 30 seconds, the oil is ready. Add the lamb and brown for 2 minutes.
5 Add the sweet potato, carrot and onion and saute for 3 minutes. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the peas, parsley, salt and pepper to the pan and simmer for 5 more minutes, then remove from the heat.
6 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Melt the butter in a small frying pan. Sprinkle some flour on your work surface. Divide the dough into four pieces and, using a thin rolling pin, roll out each piece as thinly as possible. Brush the butter on to the dough and fold each piece twice (to make four layers). Rest for 5 minutes. Roll each dough piece out, butter and fold again. Repeat the fold and butter process twice more. Finally, roll each piece of dough into a square, roughly 20cm wide and 5mm thick, using your fingers to create the shape.
7 Separate the eggs and keep the whites and the yolks handy in two bowls. Spoon 3 tbsp of the meat mixture into the middle of each square, leaving a margin about 6cm wide on each side. Fold each corner in like an envelope, slightly overlapping them. Brush the edges with egg white to help them stick together.
8 Line a baking tray with baking paper and brush with oil. Arrange the böreks on the tray, folded-side down, and brush the tops with egg yolk. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden.
Somer Sivrioglu and David Dale, Anatolia: Adventures in Turkish Cooking (Murdoch Books)
Broad bean and lamb pilaf
Seasonal broad beans work wonders with leftover roast lamb in this Middle‑Eastern rice medley.
Serves 4
500g broad beans, removed from their pods
A glug of light olive oil
1 garlic clove, sliced
3 mint leaves, chopped
A pinch of coriander seeds
Juice of ¼ lemon
For the pilaf
2 onions, sliced
A glug of olive oil
1 tbsp ground coriander
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
150g brown basmati rice
200g lamb, leftover from a roast, shredded into bite-size pieces
A small cinnamon stick
450ml water
To serve
Yoghurt
Toasted cumin seeds
Salt and black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
1 First, prepare the beans. Heat a frying pan with a lid over a medium heat with the light olive oil, then gently fry the beans. Add the garlic to the pan, cover and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chopped mint, coriander and lemon juice and fry for a further 2 minutes. Set aside.
2 Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/gas mark 3. In a heavy-based casserole dish, gently fry the onions in the olive oil for 15-20 minutes, until soft and caramelised. Add the coriander and garlic and fry for a further 2 minutes.
3 Add the rice and stir, coating every grain with oil, onion and spice. Add the lamb, fried broad beans, cinnamon and water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, taste and adjust the seasoning. Put the lid on and place the dish in the oven for about 45 minutes. All the water should be absorbed.
4 Serve with yoghurt seasoned with toasted cumin seeds, salt and pepper, and olive oil.
Tom Hunt, The Natural Cook (Quadrille)
