Simple, beautiful, redolent of spice routes and souks…
1 leg of lamb
2 cloves of garlic
1 pinch of saffron threads
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon whole coriander seed
½ tablespoon caraway seed
several good twists of black pepper
50 ml olive oil
sea salt
1. Preheat the oven to 230˚C or gas mark 8.
2. In a dry frying pan, gently toast the coriander and the caraway seeds for a few minutes, until you can smell them. Grind them up in a pestle and mortar and pour them into a small pot with the olive oil. Add the saffron, the cinnamon and the black pepper. Stir together, and leave to infuse for at least an hour.
3. Peel and slice the garlic, not too fine. Then stud the lamb with the garlic slivers.
4. When the oil has infused nicely, stir vigorously, then spoon half the oil and spice mixture over the lamb and rub it into the joint well.
4. Roast the lamb in the oven for 25 minutes. Then baste the lamb with half the remaining oil and spice mix, and turn down the oven to 160˚C or gas mark 3.
5. Now roast the lamb for 15 minutes per 500 grams, basting with the remaining oil every 20 minutes or so, until cooked. (These timings should give you a joint which is nicely pink).
6. Remove from the oven and leave to rest. Serve with couscous, flat breads and greens or salad.
