SLOW ROAST TURKISH LAMB WITH POTATOES AND CARROTS

Roasting lamb with some warming spices adds a new twist to the more traditional ways. Don’t forget to save the bone for the soup!

Serves 5-7

Ingredients

1 leg of lamb (2.5-3kg)

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp ground cumin

1 cinnamon stick or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tsp black peppercorns

1 tsp thyme leaves

2 medium onions, thickly sliced

6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

½ cup red wine or water

½ cup water

1kg potatoes, peeled and cut in half or quarters depending on size

1 kg carrots, peeled and cut in half or large pieces

1 cup thick unsweetened natural yoghurt, with a pinch of salt

1 Tbsp tahini paste (optional)

1 lemon, juice

Method

Preheat the oven 200C

Add all the spices and thyme leaves together and grind until all spices have crushed up and mixed well together.

Rub the oil over the lamb and then massage the crushed spices all over, making sure you get into all the openings. Season well with salt and place into a heavy duty roasting dish.

Roast in the hot oven for 20 minutes or until the skin of the lamb is golden and your kitchen is smelling fragrant. Carefully remove from the oven and lower the temperature of the oven to 160C.

Place the onions, garlic, wine and water around the lamb. Cover with foil and return to the oven and roast for 1 ½ hours.

When the 1 ½ hours are up remove the lamb from the oven and add the carrots and potatoes, coat in the juices and cover again with the foil. Return to the oven and continue to cook for a further ¾ hour.

Whilst the lamb is roasting mix the yoghurt with the salt and tahini if using and place into a suitable serving dish. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive if desired. Chill until required.

The lamb is nearly cooked at this stage. Remove the foil and cook for a further 30 minutes or until the vegetables have coloured and the sauce has reduced.

To serve.

Place the lamb onto your board for carving and remove all the delicious vegetable and put onto a suitable sized platter. Stir the juices together in the bottom of the roasting dish and season lightly if needed. Pour into a jug for serving as this is your gravy.

Slice the lamb and add to the platter.

Serve with the tahini salted yoghurt and a crispy green salad.

Enjoy!