Ingredients
1 bunch of fresh rosemary
10cm piece of ginger
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
3-4 small dried red chillies
extra virgin olive oil
4 small quality lamb neck fillets
4 sweet potatoes
2 red onions
4 cloves of garlic
12 ripe plum tomatoes
1 cinnamon stick
2 fresh bay leaves
1 handful of dried apricots
350g couscous
red or white wine vinegar
1 big bunch of fresh coriander
4 tablespoons fat-free natural yoghurt
Method
- Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5.
- Pick and finely chop the rosemary leaves and peel and roughly chop the ginger, then add to a pestle and mortar with the cumin, coriander, fennel seeds and dried chillies. Add a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, then pound to a paste, stirring in a couple of tablespoons of oil.
- Pour half the marinade over the lamb, and massage well before you plait it, then put aside until needed.
- Peel and chop the sweet potatoes into 2.5cm chunks, peel and roughly chop the onions, and peel and finely slice the garlic, then mix with the remaining marinade.
- Heat a little oil in a large ovenproof pan or roasting tray over a medium-high heat, add the lamb and quickly brown on both sides, then remove to a plate.
- Add the sweet potato mixture to the pan and fry for around 4 minutes, or until the onions are slightly soft.
- Add the tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon, then give the pan a shake and place the meat on top.
- Add 3 wineglasses of water, the cinnamon stick, bay leaves and dried apricots, and braise in the preheated oven for 1 hour 15 minutes (I suggest you do this with the lid off to give it a little colour.
- Cover the couscous with 300ml boiling water and leave to fluff up. Season with salt, pepper, a lug of oil and a swig of vinegar, cover with tin foil and place in the oven for 5 minutes to steam.
- Pick and roughly chop the coriander and scatter over the lamb before serving. Divide between plates with the couscous and spoon over a good dollop of natural yoghurt.
Tags
