When it comes to slow-cooking lamb, different regions take varying approaches: in France, a sealed pot is used for the job; in North Africa, méchoui sees a whole animal being cooked over fire, either on a spit, in an earthen oven or buried underground. This recipe draws on both methods: seasoned with salt, garlic and thyme and basted with spiced butter, the lamb is cooked low and slow until it falls off the bone.


Seven-hour roasted leg of lamb by Alex Jackson SERVES: 6-8 TAKES: 7 HRS 15 MINS


INGREDIENTS 1 tbsp cumin seeds 1 tbsp coriander seeds 1 tsp black peppercorns 4 cardamom pods (seeds removed)


1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp hot paprika ½ tsp ground ginger ½ tsp ground cinnamon a good grating of nutmeg 1 leg of lamb on the bone olive oil, for drizzling 4 cloves of garlic, sliced


4 yellow onions, sliced into half-moons


1 bunch of thyme 2 tbsp melted butter 1 tsp ground cayenne pepper


½ lemon, juiced big sprigs of rosemary or thyme, tied together to use as a herb brush


salad, pilaf and bread, to serve (optional)


METHOD Heat oven to 150C, 130C fan, gas 2. Crush the


whole spices in the pestle and mortar, then add the ground spices and combine. Use a knife to poke holes in the leg of lamb.


Drizzle the oil all over the lamb, then season with salt and rub all over with the spice mix, getting some inside the incisions. Push the garlic and a quarter of the thyme into the holes. Tie the lamb with butcher’s string so it holds its shape after cooking. Put the onions and remaining thyme in an oven


tray that will fit the lamb snugly. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Put the lamb on top and pour in a 5cm depth of water. Seal with two sheets of foil, crimping the edges so no steam can escape. Roast the lamb for 6 hrs 30 mins until the meat is


falling off the bone, then remove the foil. Increase the heat to 220C, 200C fan, gas 7. Mix the melted butter, cayenne and lemon juice together. Roast the lamb for a final 30 mins, using the herb brush to baste it a few times with the spiced butter mixture. Add water to the bottom of the tray as the liquid reduces, ensuring it doesn’t dry out. Remove the lamb from the oven and allow to


rest for a few minutes. Snip off the string. Serve the lamb on a platter atop the onions and sauce, alongside salad, pilaf and bread, if you like. From Frontières: The Food of France’s Borderlands by Alex Jackson (£30, Pavilion Books).


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