Harissa Lamb Flat Breads with Giant Couscous

Cooked at a low temperature for a long period of time, this Harissa Lamb served with giant couscous with flatbreads is an easy yet impressive supper to make.

I’m not one for superlatives, but this is one of my most successful suppers. FACT. My notoriously fussy son always leaves a clean plate while the adults help themselves to seconds/thirds/fourths etc… 

There is little effort on my part – the success comes from the long, slow roast in a low oven and the flavour the lamb takes in from some Harissa paste. I use my oven, but you could easily make this in a slow cooker  (I just find that mine is too small to easily accommodate a leg of lamb). I make this with a leg of lamb, but you could use shoulder for a cheap alternative. No need to change the cooking times or temperatures either – low and slow are the watch words here…

While cooking this meal requires a little thought in advance, it is ridiculously easy supper to throw together, toss into the oven and forget about until suppertime. A quick 5 minute flurry in the kitchen to make the yoghurt sauce and open some flatbreads and your job is done. Perfect for a mid-week dinner with friends or a lazy Sunday feast with family.

The quantities here are enough for 6-8 hungry mouths – but you can keep any leftovers for a few days afterwards (if you’re lucky enough to have any!)

Harissa Lamb Flat Breads with Giant Couscous

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• Author: Tom
• Prep Time: 15 Minutes
• Cook Time: 5 Hours
• Total Time: 5 hours 15 minutes
• Yield: 6–8 1x

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Ingredients

• 2 Aubergines
• 2 Red Onions
• 2 bulbs of garlic
• 2.25KG leg of lamb
• 5 heaped teaspoons harissa paste
• 1 tbsp salt flakes
• Olive Oil
• 400g tomatoes
• 300g Giant Couscous
• 300g Greek Yoghurt
• 1/2 lemon – juice
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Pinch salt
• 1 large bunch fresh mint
• 1 Pomegranate
• 12–16 flatbreads (2 per person)

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Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 140C/280F/Gas 2.
2. Slice your aubergines and onions into rings about 1cm deep. Place the aubergine into a medium roasting tin, covering the base with a layer. Flake the onion rings over the top of the aubergines.
3. Take two bulbs of garlic and slice each one horizontally through middle. I then like to break the bulbs apart to remove the tissue-paper like white skins, but leaving the cloves in their purple-flecked wrappings. 
4. Using a sharp knife, cut little slits all over the leg of lamb. Remember to make small incisions all over the joint, including the underside and the cut end. Using your hands, massage 5 heaped teaspoons of harissa paste all over, gently pushing into all the little incisions to ensure flavour penetrates throughout. Place the smeared lamb onto of the vegetables and generously sprinkle all over with 1tbsp of sea salt flakes. Loosely wrap the top of the roasting tin with a sheet of foil and place in the oven. Close the door and forget about it all for 5 hours!
5. After 5 hours of gentle roasting, remove from the oven and add the tomatoes. No need to remove them from their vines if still attached – place in clumps around the leg of lamb. Return the foil around the tin and place back into the oven for 45-60 minutes.
6. While the lamb receives its final cook, place the greek yoghurt into a bowl. Stir in the juice of half a lemon, two cloves of minced garlic and a pinch of salt. Using a sharp knife, finely chop the fresh mint and mix in with the yoghurt. Decant into a serving dish or jug and place in the fridge.
7. Lightly splash a small amount of water onto the flatbreads wrap all together in a layer of greaseproof paper and some foil. Place to one side.
8. After its final cook, remove the lamb from the roasting tray and leave to rest on a board, tented in a fresh sheet of foil. Meanwhile, gently lift the tomatoes out of the tin and place to one side. Tip 300g of giant couscous into the roasting tin and stir to mix in with the vegetables and juices. Place the tomatoes back on top, replace the foil and return to the oven alongside the parcel of flatbreads for a final 15 minutes cooking.
9. Cut the pomegranate in half and beat with the back of a wooden spoon while holding in a cupped hand above a large dish. This will remove the pomegranate seeds. Pick out any creamy flesh bits which fall loose and decant the ruby seeds into a serving dish.
10. Remove the flatbreads and couscous veg mix from the oven. Taste the couscous and season with salt and pepper if needed. Carve the lamb into generous wedges and flakes before serving everything together. 
11. I like to assemble at the table by flattening out my bread before spooning a little couscous on, squishing a tomato, flaking on some lamb and topping with a little yoghurt and a scattering of pomegranate seeds. Scoop together and deliver to the mouth as if it was a Middle Eastern fajita. Delicious!

• Category: Meat & Fish
• Cuisine: Middle Eastern, British

Keywords: Roast Lamb, Flat bread, easy dinner, easy dinner recipe, slow cook, slow roast, giant cous cous, middle eastern food, harissa