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Sunday 18 December 2011

Jewelled dukkah crusted lamb shoulder

























The ‘Danny Glover Quote Lexicon’ is far from being a tome, “I’m getting to old for this shit” being the only Glovernugget that I ever regularly paraphrase. “I just wanna fix mah boat and put mah kids through school Riggs” (something like that) doesn’t really bristle with many social applications. I’m embarrassed to say that three consecutive nights of festive revelry last week has left me gaunt, dishevelled and malnourished, like a poor Dickensian street urchin. This was compounded on Friday morning when we ran out of milk and honey for porridge, and I was forced to contemplate a bowl of thin oatmeal gruel for breakfast. It is my hope that this hearty roast went a little way towards righting the balance.


I first tried dukkah a couple of years ago. In that instance it played part of a Maria Elia recipe; juicy watermelon wedges plunged into a bowl of dukkah as a canape - very much a ‘YES’ moment. Traditionally hazelnuts are used in this Egyptian dip, but this morning I raided the Christmas nut bowl in a gesture of ‘Renegade spice assemblage’.


For a small jar of dukkah

2Tbsp Sesame seeds

2Tbsp Chopped mixed nuts (I used a blend of hazel, almond, walnut & brazil nuts)

1Tbsp Cumin seeds

1Tbsp Coriander seeds

1Tsp black peppercorns

1Tsp Sea salt

1/2Tsp Ground cinnamon

1/2Tsp dried mint


Toast the sesame seeds, nuts, cumin seeds and coriander seeds in heavy pan until they’ve toasted lightly. Allow to cool, then tip into a coffee grinder with the peppercorns, salt, cinnamon and mint. Blitz until fine.


Jewelled dukkah crusted lamb shoulder

(I used) 0.75kg Rolled lamb shoulder (cooking times will vary depending on the size of your meat)

2Tbsp Olive oil

6Tbsp Dukkah

1 Pomegranate


Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Rub the lamb with olive oil, then place in an ovenproof dish. Gently sprinkle the dukkah over the meat (you may have to fill in gaps here and there with your fingers), then roast for just under an hour until the lamb is blushing. To serve, scatter pomegranate seeds over the meat (a good squeeze of juice over the top is a good thing too).


7 comments:

  1. Sounds wonderful! Will the dukkah keep for a while in the fridge?

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  2. About a month Lesley. Glad you like the sound of it!

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  3. I am also a lover of Dukkah, with lamb as you have posted and as a simple dip with olive oil and fresh artisan bread. Wonderful lighting.

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  4. As luck would have it, I have a rolled lamb shoulder in the freezer... ;)

    Stupidly, I've not made my own dukkah before - this is the perfect motivation.

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  5. Should make a nice change from Turkey after Christmas. I have some Shetland Lamb in the freezer

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  6. I could eat Dukkah by the bowlful... Lovely recipe Stu, I'll have to give it a go! Just to let you know, I've nominated/awarded you the Versatile Blogger Award as one of my top 10 blogs here: http://freshlyseasoned.wordpress.com

    Merry Christmas! Sarah Cobbold x

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