Low & slow lamb shoulder with harissa chick peas & feta yogurt

Name: Low & slow lamb shoulder with harissa chick peas & feta yogurt
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 5 h 20 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1.7 kg essential whole lamb shoulder; ¼ x 20g pack thyme sprigs; 24 g Cooks' Ingredients Tagine Spice Blend; 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 onions, very roughly chopped; 1 bulb garlic, cloves peeled and left whole; 2 aubergines, cut into bitesize pieces; 2 tbsp heaped tbsp tomato paste; 800 g chick peas, drained and rinsed; 1 tbsp Belazu rose harissa paste; 1 tbsp clear honey; 100 g feta cheese, well crumbled

3 out of 5 stars(1) Rate this recipe

Serves6
CourseMain meal
Prepare20 mins
Cook5 hrs
Total time5 hrs 20 mins
Plusmarinating

Please note, we take every care to ensure the product, allergen and recipe information displayed is correct. However, should a product be unavailable, alternatives may be displayed and/or a substitution provided. If you have an allergy or intolerance, please always check the product label before use.

Ingredients

1.7kg essential whole lamb shoulder
¼ x 20g pack thyme sprigs
24g Cooks' Ingredients Tagine Spice Blend
2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, very roughly chopped
1 bulb garlic, cloves peeled and left whole
2 aubergines, cut into bitesize pieces
2 tbsp heaped tbsp tomato paste
800g chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp Belazu rose harissa paste
1 tbsp clear honey
100g feta cheese, well crumbled

Method

Slash the lamb a few times all over. Mix a few thyme sprigs, the tagine spices (from all 3 sachets) and 1 tbsp oil, then rub all over the meat. Sit it on top of the onions and garlic in a large roasting tin, then (if time) marinate in the fridge overnight. If not, no problem.
Remove the lamb from the fridge 30 minutes before starting to cook. Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Roast the lamb for 30 minutes until golden, then tip in 500ml boiling water from the kettle. Lower the oven to 160°C, gas mark 3. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 2½ hours.
Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan. Fry the aubergines in 1 tbsp oil for 10-15 minutes. Once soft and golden, stir in a little more thyme plus the tomato paste. Leave to caramelise for 1 minute. Mix in the chick peas, harissa and honey then set aside. Stir the feta into the yogurt, season and chill.
Spoon off the excess fat from the meat juices. Add the chick pea mix to the roasting tin, re-cover and bake for 2 hours until the lamb melts from the bone and the aubergines collapse into the sauce. Serve with more thyme leaves, the feta yogurt, plus a green salad and flatbreads.