LAMB WITH CHERMOULA, LEMON LABNEH & HASSELBACK BEETROOT

SERVES 6 / PREPARATION 15 MINUTES PLUS MARINATING TIME / COOKING 3 HOURS 30 MINUTES & RESTING TIME

Chermoula can be used on any meat and also works very well with eggplant and fish. Because it’s a wet marinade rather than a dry, spice-rub style of meat flavouring, I suggest marinating big joints like a leg of lamb overnight to allow the acid juices of the lemon to penetrate and start to tenderise.

1 bone-in leg of lamb

1 recipe Hasselback Beetroot (see recipe)

1 recipe Lemon Labneh (see recipe)

fresh coriander for garnish

CHERMOULA

2 shallots or 1 onion, diced

8 cloves garlic, peeled

1 cup fresh coriander leaves

1 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons oil juice of 2 lemons

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon flaky sea salt

2 teaspoons ground cumin 2 teaspoons ground or fresh turmeric

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon chilli powder

To make the chermoula, either smash all the ingredients in a pestle and mortar until well combined or place them in a food processor and blitz until smooth.

Transfer to a large plastic bag, add the lamb leg, seal the bag and turn to coat the lamb. Chill overnight.

When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 220°C fan-bake. Remove lamb from the bag and place in a roasting dish. Roast for 10 minutes on one side before turning and cooking for another 10 minutes. Turn the oven down to 150°C fan-bake, cover the lamb with tinfoil and roast for a further 2 hours.

Remove the lamb from the oven, pull off the tinfoil and lay it back loosely over the lamb. Allow to rest for 30 minutes if possible. To serve, turn the oven back up to 180°C fan-bake, remove the tinfoil and roast for a final 10 minutes.

Transfer to a carving board and garnish with coriander. Serve accompanied by hasselback beetroot and lemon labneh.