Lamb

Lamb neck roast with rough-cut chermoula

Name: Lamb neck roast with chermoula recipe
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 80ml olive oil; 30.00 ml each sweet and smoked paprika; 4 (2.3kg total) whole lamb necks (see note); 1.2kg mixed roasting vegetables (we used 3 medium desiree potatoes, halved, 2 medium onions, peeled and cut into large pieces and 1 large carrot, cut into large pieces); 2 x 400g cans whole peeled tomatoes; 400g can chickpeas, undrained; 3 small bulbs garlic, outer skin removed; Pita bread (oiled and chargrilled); Lemon wedges, to serve; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 500.00 ml each flat-leaf parsley; 1 long red chilli, chopped; 40.00 ml extra virgin olive oil; Finely grated zest and juice of 1 large lemon; 1/2 tsp each ground cumin, ground coriander and sweet paprika, toasted

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Lamb neck roast with rough-cut chermoula

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by Colin Fassnidge

Chef and My Kitchen Rules judge

Jul 27, 2023

Taking a lesser-known cut with a less-than-glamourous name, Colin Fassnidge and Anthony Puharich bring you the new, more affordable lamb roast.

1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus 1/4 cup (60ml) extra
1 1/2 tbs each sweet and smoked paprika
4 (2.3kg total) whole lamb necks (see note)
1.2kg mixed roasting vegetables (we used 3 medium desiree potatoes, halved, 2 medium onions, peeled and cut into large pieces and 1 large carrot, cut into large pieces)
2 x 400g cans whole peeled tomatoes
400g can chickpeas, undrained
3 small bulbs garlic, outer skin removed
Pita bread (oiled and chargrilled)
Lemon wedges, to serve

Rough-cut chermoula

2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cups each flat-leaf parsley and coriander, leaves and stalks
1 long red chilli, chopped
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 large lemon
1/2 tsp each ground cumin, ground coriander and sweet paprika, toasted

Method

1.

Place oil and both paprikas in a large bowl and season well. Add lamb and turn to coat all over, then use your hands to massage mixture in. Cover and chill for up to 2 days to marinate.
2.

Preheat oven to 220°C/200°C fan-forced.
3.

Place vegetables, tomatoes, chickpeas and liquid from can, garlic, 1/2 cup (125ml) water and extra 1/4 cup (60ml) oil in a large, deep roasting pan. Season well, then place marinated lamb on top and spoon over any remaining marinade.
4.

Roast lamb, turning once, for 30 minutes to brown and crisp up. Remove pan from oven. Cover with a lid or a large piece of baking paper, then cover with doubled pieces of foil to secure tightly. Reduce oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Roast for 2-3 hours until meat easily pulls away from bone when tested with a fork. Rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
5.

While lamb rests, make the chermoula. Use a fork to mash garlic and 1 1/2 tsp salt flakes together on a chopping board until a smooth paste forms. Place in a medium serving bowl. Roughly chop parsley, coriander and chilli together on same board until well combined, scraping up any leftover garlic salt mixture remaining on board. Add to bowl, then stir in oil, lemon zest and juice, and spices until well combined. Season well.
6.

Spoon the vegetable and chickpea mixture onto a serving platter, then top with the lamb. Spoon over some of the rough-cut chermoula, and serve straight to the table with extra chermoula, pita bread and lemon wedges alongside, allowing everyone to pull apart the meat, using their pita bread for dipping and scooping up the sauce.

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Recipe Notes

Begin this recipe at least 1-2 days ahead.
On a whole lamb, that bit of the neck that goes down to the rack – that’s the scrag end, also known as lamb neck. You can cut the neck into little chops, and it’s great for braising. There’s a big bone in it, right in the middle, so it’s perfect for dishes where you can shred it off the bone, too.