Slow Roasted Lamb with Morrocan Spices & Lemon Oregano Potatoes

You are probably going to ask we're I have been. Well over the last two weeks I have been busy finishing the last of the quilting on the very large quilt I am making. There was a happy dance yesterday because all the quilting is finished. :-)

Also a couple of weeks ago Mr CLI had to go to Melbourne for work for three days and as Miss Fish was in respite I tagged along.

I have never had so much me time in decades. It was lovely to just wander around the shops in Melbourne, if the truth be known I only ventured to the Bourke Street Mall.

 

One day I had a lovely time getting my makeup done at the Dior counter, such bliss.

 

Now I am having a bit of a Morrocan theme this week on Monday I cooked a chicken tagine which I served with Quinoa, lovely, but Mr CLI kept wandering into the kitchen afterwards to look for more food. So I thought I would fix his little red wagon last night and cooked quite a spread including cup cakes - even though they were a packet mix they still were lovely.

 

I originally saw a recipe in the Gourmet Traveller magazine, I took this as base and went from there.

 

I also served this with a chopped salad, my version of tzatziki, and mountain bread and souvlaki wraps, so we could make yummy wraps with the hot meat, salad and tzatziki. Yummy !

 

Now I used a half leg which is enough for 4 people.

 

Moroccan Lamb

1 half leg of lamb - mine weighed 1.4 kgs

Preheat oven to 100.c

Marinade - 2 tsps of each whole fennel & cumin seeds, 1 tsp whole cardamom seeds, 1 tsp whole coriander seeds, 2 tsps salt flakes, 4 cloves garlic peeled, 3 tbsps olive oil, 2 tbsps lemon juice

In a small saucepan place all the whole spices, move around until fragrant 1-2 minutes. Tip into a mortar and pestle grind with garlic and salt fhen stir in juice and oil or small food whizz add remaining ingredients, process till it forms a paste.

Place lamb into a baking tray pour marinade and rub into the leg. Cover tray with tin foil. Turn ever 1 1/2 - 2 hours, basting with juices and marinade. Cook for 5 hours. See what I mean about slow roasted.

 

 

Lemon and oregano potatoes

1 - 2 kgs of potatoes peeled and cut into 3 cm pieces, 1 cup chicken stock, 2 tbsps olive oil, 2 tsps dried oregano

If you have a double oven preheat second oven 200. C. Put all potato ingredients in a baking tray, toss well. Bake for 45 minutes - 1 hour, turning 2 - 3 times during cooking.

If you don't have second oven when the lamb is cooked remove it from the oven and increase the heat to 200.c. Cover the lamb with foil then wrap in a couple of tea towels to keep it hot and moist while the potatoes are cooking.

Chopped Salad

2 tomatoes, 1/2 red capsicum, 1/3 Lebanese cucumber with the seeds removed all cut into 1 cm dice, 1/4 red onion finely sliced, 1 tbsp Italian parsley leaves or 1 tbsp finely chopped curly parsley, 1 tbsp chopped mint, 1 cup iceburg lettuce torn into 2 cm pieces.

Dressing - mix together 1 tbsp olive oil & 2 tsps lemon juice.

Pour over salad and toss.

Tzatziki

1/2 cup Greek yoghurt, 1/4 cup grated cucumber, 1 garlic clove grated, 2 tsps lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt + extra for cucumber 2 tbsps chopped fresh mint.

While the lamb it cooking place the cucumber in a sieve over a bowl, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt leave to drain.

To make sauce squeeze any excess water from he cucumber throw out the liquid. Combine cucumber with other ingredients, mix together. Taste it may need more salt or lemon.

Then dish everything up together sit down and enjoy.