Middle Eastern Lamb

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
2. Cut the lamb leg into bite-sized pieces, trimming excess fat if desired.
3. Heat olive oil in a pan over high heat. Add rosemary and a whole garlic clove, then sear the lamb pieces until well browned on all sides. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Prepare an aromatic salt: pound together coarse sea salt, rosemary, lemon zest, coriander seeds, garlic, black pepper, and sage in a mortar. Rub this salt mixture over the seared lamb.
5. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Peel and cut potatoes into halves or quarters, then blanch them briefly (about 2 minutes) in the boiling water. Drain.
6. Clean and cut artichokes, zucchini, onions, scallions, and friggitelli peppers into pieces. Sauté each vegetable separately in olive oil with a pinch of salt until just tender. Set aside.
7. Line an oven tray with parchment paper. Arrange the blanched potatoes in a single layer as a base. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a little of the aromatic salt.
8. Place the artichokes on the potatoes, then top with the seared lamb and a few garlic cloves.
9. Bake the tray in the preheated oven for about 3–4 minutes.
10. After 3–4 minutes, add the sautéed zucchini, onions, scallions, friggitelli peppers, olives, and spices (cloves, nutmeg, fennel seeds, dried mint if available). Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil.
11. Return the tray to the oven and bake for about 10 minutes more, until the potatoes are cooked through and the lamb is tender.
12. Meanwhile, prepare the yogurt sauce: in a bowl, combine plain yogurt, a splash of cold water, lemon juice, chopped chives, fennel fronds, a pinch of nutmeg, and black pepper. Mix well. Optionally, toast sesame seeds and add them to the sauce.
13. After the initial 10 minutes of the second bake, open the oven, sprinkle pine nuts and slivered almonds over the lamb and vegetables, then continue baking for another 2–3 minutes until nuts are golden.
14. To serve, arrange the lamb and vegetables on a plate. Drizzle generously with the yogurt sauce, finish with a few fresh mint leaves (optional) and a final drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.