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M’hamer royal lamb
Serves 4 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 3tbsp butter
- 2tbsp olive oil
- 2 onions, roughly chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 750g boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 7–10cm pieces
- 2tsp paprika, plus an extra pinch
- 1tsp ground ginger
- 1⁄4tsp ground turmeric
- pinch saffron strands
- 1 litre lamb stock
- 50g whole blanched almonds
Method
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter with the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes until golden. Add the garlic, mix well and cook for 10 seconds until fragrant.
Add the lamb to the pan with the 2 teaspoons paprika, ginger, turmeric, saffron, stock and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Mix everything together thoroughly. Bring to the boil, cover, reduce the heat to low and cook for 2-21⁄2 hours, or until the meat is beautifully tender. It should literally fall apart if you poke it with a fork. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a warm dish. Cover with foil and set aside to rest.
Reheat the sauce over a high heat until boiling. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook for around 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until really rich and thick. Skim off the fat as it rises to the surface.
Meanwhile, heat a small frying pan over a medium heat and add the almonds. Toast for 8-10 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, or until the nuts are golden on all sides. Remove from the heat and add the remaining butter. Swirl together around the pan until melted. Add the pinch of paprika and a little salt. Toss together and immediately transfer to a small plate to cool.
Return the lamb to the pan and stir gently to coat it in the sauce. Transfer to a serving dish, scatter with the cooked almonds and serve immediately.
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