Mechoui-Inspired Roast Lamb With Smoked Cumin Salt

By Gousto

Mechoui-Inspired Roast Lamb With Smoked Cumin Salt

Mechoui is a bold, aromatic Northern African dish of slow-roasted marinated lamb. For your version, you’ll roast ras el hanout spiced lamb until tender before serving over jewelled couscous. Finish with a drizzle of harissa yoghurt and a side of smoked cumin salt for dipping.

Ingredients

For 2 people [double for 4]

30g chopped dates
1 courgette
120g couscous
1 tsp ground cumin
20g harissa paste
1 Lamb leg joint
80g natural yoghurt
1 tbsp ras el hanout
1 red onion
1g smoked sea salt flakes
5.5g vegetable stock mix
15ml white wine vinegar

You’ll also need

Vegetable oil, sugar, salt, pepper, olive oil

Cooking instructions 20 mins

For 2 people [double for 4]

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 230ºC/ 210ºC (fan)/ gas 8. Remove the string from the lamb leg joint[s], then pat dry with kitchen paper. Rub over most of the ras el hanout (you’ll use the rest later!) and a generous pinch of salt.

Step 2

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) over a high heat with a drizzle of vegetable oil. Once hot, add the seasoned lamb to the pan and cook for 3-4 min or until slightly charred on all sides – this is your charred lamb.

Step 3

Meanwhile, peel and chop the red onion[s] into wedges. Peel lengths off the courgette[s] with a peeler until you end up with a pile of courgette ribbons. Combine the courgette ribbons with the remaining ras el hanout, the white wine vinegar, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt – this is your courgette salad.

Step 4

Once the lamb is slightly charred, transfer the wedged onion to a baking tray and top with the charred lamb, any lamb juices from the pan and a drizzle of vegetable oil. Put the tray in the oven for 8-9 min for rare, 10-12 min for medium-rare and 12-14 min for medium.

Step 5

While the lamb is in the oven, boil half a kettle. Add the couscous to a heatproof bowl with the vegetable stock mix, the chopped dates and half the cumin (you’ll use the rest later!) and give everything a good mix up. Add 200ml [400ml] boiled water, cover and set aside until all of the liquid has been absorbed.

Step 6

Combine the remaining cumin, smoked salt and a pinch of sugar in a small bowl – this is your smoked cumin salt.

Step 7

Once the lamb is cooked, transfer it to a clean chopping board to rest for 2 min before finely slicing – this is your mechoui-inspired roast lamb

Transfer the roast onion wedges to the couscous and give everything a good mix up – this is your fruity couscous.

Step 8

Serve the fruity couscous topped with the courgette salad and lay over the sliced mechoui-inspired roast lamb. Drizzle over the yoghurt then dollop on the harissa and swirl together. Serve the smoked cumin salt to the side. Tip: Dip your lamb in the cumin salt for an authentic experience!

Enjoy!

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