Slow-roasted shoulder of lamb recipe with harissa

“When I was about 12, I was introduced to the food of Algeria,” recalls Raymond.

“I remember seeing whole lambs roasted on the spit and, as the meat was turned, it was also painted with the spicy juices.”

(Serves4-6) You’ll need

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● 1tbsp sea salt 1tbsp ground cumin 100g rose harissa 100ml extravirgin olive oil 2.5kg new season’s shoulder of lamb 300ml water

Method:

For chickpea salad ● 1 jar (230g) piquillo peppers 2 beldi preserved lemons Handful of curly or flat-leaf parsley

2 tins (400g) chickpeas

Sea salt and black pepper

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● 1. Mix together the salt, cumin and harissa, and then add the extra-virgin olive oil. Place the lamb in a roasting tin. Lightly score the skin of the lamb and rub it all over with the salty harissa mixture. At this point, you can leave the lamb for an hour, allowing the harissa flavours to infuse, but this is not essential.

2. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 3. Roast the lamb for 20 minutes, and then reduce the temperature to 150C/130C fan/ gas 2. Cover the lamb shoulder loosely with foil, and return it to the oven to roast for a further two hours. Now baste the lamb, add the water and return it to the oven for two hours, again loosely covered with foil.

4. While the lamb is roasting, chop the piquillo peppers, finely chop the preserved lemons (skin and pulp) and coarsely chop the parsley. Put them to one side; you will need them to finish the dish.

5. Remove the lamb from the oven. Spoon out most of the fat from the tin, leaving the roasting juices. To the warm roasting juices, add the chickpeas, peppers and lemon. Add the parsley too and season with the salt and pepper. Toss together and bring to the boil on the hob. Place the lamb shoulder on a platter with the chickpea salad.

6. Bring the lamb to the table and invite your guests to help themselves. The lamb will be tender enough to fall from the bone with a spoon, though it can be carved if you prefer. Simply Raymond: Recipes From Home by Raymond Blanc is published by Headline Home, priced £25. Photos by Chris Terry