I recently posted a review of The Kitchen Shelf, a new and clever book for “us.” There are books that tell you how to create a great dish 20 minutes with 3 ingredients. This is not that kind of book. Not that kind at all.
The Kitchen Shelf suggests you stock your panty with just a relative handful of ingredients. Then use them carefully and creatively. And maybe you’ll use almost all of them. The ingredient list for this lamb is long. It’s the most complicated recipe in the book. But, look, this is leg of lamb. You don’t want to fail. You do want a meaty wonder. You want flavor that excels, restaurant flavor.
So, make this on the weekend when you have some time to be in the kitchen and just enjoy the act of culinary creation. You get to use cilantro, anchovies, garlic, cinnamon, cumin, paprika and chili flakes. How cool is that? Well, actually it’s going to be just a tad spicy.
Slow Cooked Leg of Lamb with Moroccan Spices and Chickpeas
Yield: serves 4-6
Ingredients:
- 1 bunch cilantro (coriander) stems and leaves separated
- 6 anchovy fillets, coarsely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- Splash of olive oil
- 1 4 ½ pound leg of lamb
- 2 onions, cut into wedges through the root
- 1 bouillon (stock) cube made up to 3 ½ broth (stock) with boiling water
- 2 x 14-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
Put the cilantro (coriander) stems, anchovies, garlic, and the spices into a food processor with plenty of salt and pepper a splash of oil and process until you have a paste. Use a sharp knife to cut small slashes all over the lamb. Rub two-thirds of the paste all over the lamb and into the cuts, then cover lamb with aluminum foil and set aside while the oven heats. Set the remaining paste aside for later.
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Sit the lamb in a high-sided roasting dish or pan and roast it in the hot oven for 45 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature 300°F. Add the onion wedges to the dish, pour in the broth (stock), cover with foil, then cook for another 3 hours. The lamb should be really tender when tested with a fork. Carefully remove the lamb from the dish and rest for at least 15 minutes, covered with foil to keep it warm.
Use a large spoon to skim off any visible fat from the surf of the cooking juices in the roasting dish. Tip the chickpeas into the juices along with most of the cilantro leaves and remaining spice paste, stir to combine, then return to the oven for 15 minutes to heat through.
Return the lamb to the dish and scatter with the remaining cilantro leaves. Slice or pull the lamb apart with forks and serve with the saucy chickpeas.
Source: The Kitchen Shelf by Eve O’Sullivan and Rosie Reynolds [Phaidon, 2016]