Recipe

Spiced lamb with burghul

This lamb tastes exquisite. Do try to use dried mint (it’s readily available) because it gives a different flavour to our common garden mint.

  • 1 hr 25 mins cooking
  • 1 hr marinating
  • Makes 6 Item
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Ingredients

Spiced lamb with burghul
  • 1 tablespoon baharat spice mix
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried mint
  • freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • finely grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 boned and defatted shoulder of lamb, tied into shape with string
  • sea salt
  • 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup stock (chicken or vegetable)
  • 1 cup burghul
  • 2杯开水
  • 1 teaspoon butter

Method

Spiced lamb with burghul
  • 1
    Mix the baharat, black pepper, dried mint, nutmeg, cinnamon and lemon zest together in a bowl. Rinse the lamb and pat dry. Rub with the spice mixture and leave covered at room temperature for 1 hour. Mix in 1 teaspoon sea salt and 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil.
  • 2
    Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a smallish ovenproof casserole dish over a medium-high heat. Add the lamb fat side down and brown quickly on both sides. Don’t spend too long on this or the spices will burn. Pour the stock round, not over, the sides of the meat. Cover with a lid and transfer to the oven to cook for 1 hour at 180°C (regular).
  • 3
    Put the burghul in a sieve and rinse under running water. Transfer to a bowl, pour on 1 cup boiling water, stir, then cover with a plate and leave for 15 minutes until tender. If the burghul is not tender after this time, pour on another cup of boiling water and repeat the process (coarsely ground and organic burghul often takes longer). Drain, then wrap in a clean tea towel and press gently to mop up any excess water. Transfer the burghul to a heated serving bowl and toss with a little sea salt and butter. Keep covered until the lamb is ready to serve.
  • 4
    Transfer the lamb to a board and drape with tin foil. Pour the juices into a fat-separating jug (or scoop off the fat from the juices with a spoon), then pour back into the casserole. Bubble up and reduce by half. Slice the meat, spoon over the juices and serve immediately with the burghul.