Lamb mechoui with cumin and sea salt
This Moroccan specialty often consists of a whole lamb
grilled slowly over a charcoal fire for many hours. This version is a large
shoulder, rubbed with spices and chargrilled. When cooked, the meat is hacked
off and dipped in roasted salt and cumin. The best barbecue for this is the
sort that swings into an upright position so the red-hot coals are vertical,
with the spit rotating in front of them. Other barbecues will also work but use
a lid to ensure slow, even cooking.
Open up the natural pockets in the lamb, and stuff with the
garlic cloves. Mix the paprika, ground cumin and seasoning and rub all over the
shoulder. Cover and leave the lamb for about 1 hour. Mix the oil and mint in a
bowl for basting the meat during roasting.
Prepare a barbecue. Once the flames have died down, rake the
hot coals to one side and insert a drip tray flat beside them. Position a
lightly oiled grill rack over the coals to heat. When the coals are medium-hot,
or covered with a moderate coating of ash, place the lamb shoulder on the grill
rack over the drip tray covered with a lid or tented heavy-duty foil. For the
initial 30 minutes turn the meat frequently, basting using the thyme branches
and mint oil. Roast for a further 2 hours, turning and basting every 15
minutes. If you need to replenish the coals, do so before the heat is too low.
It will take about 10 minutes to heat sufficiently to continue the cooking.
Dry-roast the cumin seeds and coarse salt for 2 minutes in a
heavy frying pan. Do not let them burn. Tip them in to a mortar and pound with
the pestle until roughly ground. When the meat is cooked, remove from the
barbecue, wrap in double foil and rest it for 15 minutes. Serve sliced with the
roasted cumin and salt for dipping.
Serves 4-6
1 shoulder of lamb, about 1.8kg/4lb
4 garlic cloves, crushed
15ml/1 tbsp paprika
15ml/1 tbsp freshly ground cumin seeds
105ml/7 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
45-60ml/3-4 tbsp finely chopped mint leaves
A few sturdy thyme branches, for basting
Salt and ground black pepper
To serve
45ml/3 tbsp cumin seeds
25ml/ 1 ½ tbsp coarse sea salt |
