This is one of the great feast dishes of the Sahel region of North Africa, and another of those dishes which were created when people still cooked in fires or makeshift ovens. The meat is marinated for a long time, and then cooked on a very slow heat, resulting in meltingly tender lamb that will break off the bone with a fork. It is a brilliant dinner party dish as it can all be prepared long before your guests arrive, and works really well as the centrepiece of a buffet. Fragrant, spicy and delicious, it is Springtime on a plate, and it is so easy to make!

01.

Ingredients

1 shoulder of lamb, around 1kg
5tsp Spice Mountain Ras el Hanout
2tsp Spice Mountain Chermoula blend
2tsp garlic powder
2tbs chopped fresh mint
1tbs chopped fresh coriander
3tbs olive oil
2tbs lemon juice
1tsp salt

02.

Method

  • This first stage needs to be done the day before you plan to serve your Meshoui. Mix together all the seasoning ingredients together with the olive oil and lemon juice to make a thick paste, and rub this allover the lamb shoulder. Now you can leave your lamb to marinate overnight, ensuring all the flavours sink in to the meat.
  • On the day, take a casserole dish or a tight-fitting deep roasting tin, and pour in an inch of water. Place the lamb in the dish/tin, cover tightly and place in an oven preheated to 120 degrees. Cook the lamb on the same heat for 5 hours. Remove from the oven and let stand for half an hour before uncovering – the aromas that will fill your kitchen now will make everyone very hungry indeed! Serve the Meshoui with steamed couscous and a variety of your favourite salads.