Spiced Roast Lamb

It is summer but our oven has been working more than it should be. And in fact, more than the winter months. I'm not a huge fan of salads or cold noodles, I prefer my meals hot - stews and braises..YUM. Standing over the stove cooking in the kitchen without a fan now is unbearable so I resort to oven-cooked meals instead. You chuck everything into a baking dish and enjoy comforting hot food after an hour or two. This dish is rich and flavourful, spicy, tangy and I added dates for a bit of sweetness.

Ingredients:
Adapted from Angela Boggiano's recipe at deliciousmagazine.co.uk

• 1kg Lamb Joint Half Shoulder
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbs fennel seeds
• 1 large onion - sliced
• 2-inch piece ginger - grated
• 1/2 bulb garlic - peeled, crushed
• 2 tbs harissa
• 1 can (400g) plum tomatoes
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 100g dried dates - coarsely chopped
• 2 small preserved lemons - quarted, seeds removed

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 160°C.
• Crush the spice seeds and a good pinch of salt in a pestle and mortar.
• With a sharp knife, make a few slits in the meat.
• Heat the oil in a pan over a high heat. Add the lamb and brown well all over. Remove and place in a casserole dish.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent.
• Add ginger and garlic, fry until fragrant.
• Stir in crushed spices and harissa, fry until fragrant.
• Add tomatoes, cinnamon stick, dates and preserved lemons, bring to boil. Smash the tomatoes with your ladle. Pour this over lamb.
• Cover and bake for about 1 1/2-2 hrs or until meat is tender.