Slow cooked Lamb with Black Tahini and Quinoa Salad

Slow Cooked Lamb with Black Tahini and Quinoa Salad

Aw, if you know me you will know that if you show me Black or Purple in anything I am likely to buy it. That’s what happened with this Tahini. I thought I had seen a lot of ingredients in my time but apparently there are still some things that are new and exciting that I haven’t come across . I love that the label says….Magical treat !

Welcome to May, with all kinds of slow cooking to come as it gets colder! I know that everyone has seen Quinoa ( keen-wah) by now. But,  if not, here is white Quinoa in a salad, ready to be dressed and finished. I have taken to it instead of rice. You can mix it into anything sweet such as muffins or cakes or savoury in patties and salads.  If you are not already a convert give it a try.  It is a little expensive by comparison to rice or grains  ( 500gm x approx $7.50) but it goes long way.I’m going to use the Quinoa and the Black Sesame in a delicious “In My Kitchen” dish.

Slow cooked Lamb with Black Tahini and Quinoa Salad

Slow cooked and full of flavour this is the perfect cold weather dish

5 from 6 votes

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Course Main

Cuisine Middle Eastern Inspired

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

Lamb

• 1.5 - 2 kg Lamb Shoulder on the bone
• 3 Tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
• 100 ml olive oil
• 1 piece preserved lemon of chopped
• 2 Tablespoon sesame seeds
• 2 Tablespoons Zaatar or Dukkah
• salt and pepper

Quinoa Salad

• 90 gm quinoa cooked in boiling water and drained ( cool, measure 1 cup cooked)
• 100 gm tomato finely diced (1)
• 50 ml lemon Juice 1/4 cup
• 1 bunch mint chopped
• 1 bunch flat leaf parsley chopped
• 100 gm Spanish onion finely diced
• 80 ml olive oil I like 4
• 1 pinch salt and pepper

Black Tahini Sauce

• 3 Tablespoons Black Tahini
• 50 ml lemon Juice or to taste
• 1 clove garlic crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 40 ml water
• 1 pinch salt and pepper

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 160 C / 320F
• Put all of the spices, preserved lemon, seeds, zaatar and olive oil into a bowl and mix into a loose paste. Rub this all over the lamb and spread the rest on top.
• Put the lamb shoulder into an oven dish . Add a cup of water and cover well with a lid or foil. Put into the oven. Check at 2 hours but 3.5 to 4 hours will be the point where the lamb is soft and falling from the bone.
• For the Salad. I like to make sure the onion in the salad is soft and delicious and not over powering. I rinse it in boiling water ( poured over and left to sit 30 sec and then drain)
• Put the chopped onion in a bowl and add the lemon juice and tomato ( with all of the juice). Mix in the quinoa, mint and parsley and olive oil. Mix together and taste, seasoning with salt, pepper and more lemon juice if needed.
• Put the tahini , garlic, lemon juice and cumin into a bowl and start to mix. The mixture will become firm. Add a tablespoon of water at a time as you stir until a nice smooth sauce is formed. You will need salt . Taste and add more seasoning or lemon to bring out the flavours.
• When the meat is ready. Put onto the top of the stove and rest. Once I have cut the Lamb I turn on the stove top and reheat the juices and the bits of spice crust and juices left in the dish and left over when cutting. If you wish to add a little more stock and mix around you will have a lovely sauce.
• Serve the lamb with the Quinoa salad and tahini. This would also go with roast pumpkin, sweet potato or boiled or mashed potatoes.

Here’s how to make Quinoa Salad

Lamb with spices and Preserved lemon

Black Tahini

Start to mix

The mix will get firm

Mixed

Feel curious about what others are doing in their kitchen this May?  Ok, why not visit Celia www.figjamandlimecordial.com (Link no longer active)