Harissa Marinated Lamb Three Ways with Couscous

I love this marinade and is a regular in my household- I use the Yulla brand and is a good idea to freeze it in ice cube trays so it is ready to go whenever you need it as it may perish by the time you next roast lamb - knowing it is a treat and not an everyday staple. It suits all three cuts of lamb, so depending on the amount of time you have or the cut of lamb in the fridge, it all works. I often have a lamb shoulder in the freezer, to be able to throw in the oven for slow cooking so that I can get dinner on the way early. I cook it as long as I can to make sure the meat falls off the bone. Alternatively it is possible to pick up some lamb cutlets at the last minute to quick roast or fry them; or this dish can be made using a different cut like back strap when time is short.

Serve with Nicola Hawdon’s couscous to catch all the juices and flavour – Chelsey Davies.

Pictured: Marinated Roast Lamb Fillet with couscous

Marinade –
2 tbsp harissa (recommend Yulla brand)
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 tbsp olive oil
Lamb -
1 lamb shoulder on the bone or
4 Lamb back strap (also known as a lamb fillets) or
12 lamb cutlets
Nicola Hawdon's Couscous
1 cup couscous
1 cup hot veggie stock
Dab of olive oil and a knob of butter
1 Spanish onion
1 tbsp Fresh dill

Marinade - Mix all ingredients together. Cover lamb well with marinade and leave at least an hour, up to overnight.

Lamb shoulder – Preheat oven 140°C, place shoulder in a roasting dish, spoon ½ cup water in the bottom then cover tightly with foil. Roast 2 hours. Turn heat down to 110°C and roast another 1 – 4 hours depending how much time you have available and how large the shoulder. The longer it is cooked the more tender it will be. For the last hour of cooking take foil off to brown the outer skin - can add a tin of chickpeas or borlotti beans around the lamb in the liquid at this stage for an added flavour.
Lamb Cutlets – Fry each cutlet 1 – 3 minutes each side on med – high heat, depending how pink you like your lamb.
Lamb Fillets/Back strap – Preheat oven 180°C. Place lamb on tray and bake 15 minutes depending on size - will continue to cook once you take it out of the oven so be sure to not overcook if you like your lamb pink.

Allow lamb to rest a few minutes, then cut and serve. Skim the fat off the cooking juices and place in a jug.

Nicola Hawdon’s Couscous –
Very easy, and can be made beforehand & reheated when you need it.
In a pan with a lid pour stock over the couscous which has the olive oil and butter on it. Stir and place lid over and wait 5 minutes or so before munching up with a fork. Meanwhile fry up the Spanish onion and add this and the fresh dill to the ready couscous.

Serve Lamb and couscous with jug of reserved cooking juices, plain Greek yoghurt, lemon wedges and salad or beans.

Serves 4

TasteTip- Couscous is a small granular type of pasta which is made by sprinkling durum or hard wheat semolina grains with cold salted water and rolling and coating them in fine wheat flour. It's a staple ingredient in North Africa. Couscous is also the name of a dish in which the grains are steamed over a spiced stew of vegetables and/or meat or chicken.