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Whenever I’m asked about my favourite dish to serve to friends and family, in most cases I’d say slow-cooked lamb at the centre of the table. After a long, slow cook, the meat becomes tender and rich, and the spices melt into every bite. Served with flatbreads, tahini, fresh herbs and sharp pickles, it invites everyone to build their own perfect mouthful. Across the Middle East and Mediterranean, lamb symbolises generosity and celebration, especially at Easter, when roasting it remains an adored tradition.

Slow-cooked lamb with spicy pickled lemon (pictured top)

The lamb is marinated with garlic, olive oil and aromatic spices the night before, to give the flavours time to deepen, then, after luxuriating in the oven, it emerges golden, fragrant and meltingly tender.

Prep 15 min
Marinate overnight
Cook 5 hr 15 min, plus resting
Serves 8

1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
3 fat garlic cloves, peeled
2½cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
15g parsley, roughly chopped
2 tsp fenugreek seeds, toasted and finely ground
1½ tbsp ground cumin
1½ tbsp ground coriander
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
60ml olive oil
2¼ tsp salt
Black pepper
2-2½kg bone-in lamb shoulder
½ lemon, juiced

For the spicy pickled lemon
2 large lemons, pips removed and thinly sliced
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp shatta (a fermented chilli sauce)
1 tbsp caster sugar
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp salt

The day before, put the lemon slices in a medium bowl with the lemon juice, shatta, sugar, spices and salt, and mix well. Pack the mixture into a sterilised 350ml jar, pop on the lid and store in the fridge.

Put the onion, garlic and ginger in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until finely minced. Add the parsley and spices and pulse again for about 10 seconds, until just combined. Scrape down the sides, add the vinegar, oil, two and a quarter teaspoons of salt and a generous grind of black pepper and pulse again to make a coarse paste.

In a large roasting tin, pierce the lamb all over with a small, sharp knife. Pour over the spice paste and coat the lamb generously on all sides. Cover and chill overnight.

Take the lamb out of the fridge about an hour before you’re ready to cook. Heat the oven to 170C (150C fan)/335F/gas 3½.

Pour 500ml water around the lamb, cover the tray tightly with tinfoil, then bake for four hours.

When the time is up, discard the foil and bake for another hour, increasing the oven temperature to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4 for the last 30 minutes and adding 200ml extra water if it gets a bit dry. The lamb is ready when it’s fork-tender and easily pulls away from the bone. Remove, leave to cool slightly for about 20 minutes, then transfer the lamb and any pan juices to a serving platter. Squeeze over the lemon juice and serve with the spicy pickled lemon and the ruz mfalfal below.

Ruz mfalfal (jewelled Easter rice)

In many Arab homes, a cook’s skill is judged by how fluffy and separated their grains are. During Easter, especially in Arab Christian homes, this matters even more, because ruz mfalfal centres the festive table. Ready to soak up the rich juices of the lamb, each bite celebrates heritage, patience and love, passed down grain by grain. If you are cooking for more than four people, simply double the recipe. Any leftover meat makes a wonderful shepherd’s pie.

Prep 10 min
Cook 30 min
Serves 4

250g basmati rice
Salt and black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp ground allspice
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cardamom
½ tsp ground turmeric
6 large garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
1 large carrot, cut into ½cm cubes
350ml hot vegetable stock
120g frozen peas, defrosted
40g sultanas
40g golden raisins
20g toasted blanched almonds, roughly chopped
20g toasted pine nuts
5g parsley, finely chopped
5g dill, roughly chopped
30g unsalted butter

Rinse the rice, put it in a large bowl and cover with plenty of cold water. Add half a teaspoon of salt and set aside to soak.

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan on a medium-low heat, add the onion and cook for five minutes. Add the spices and garlic, cook for a minute more, until fragrant, then stir in the carrot and cook for another minute.

Drain the rice, add it to the pan, then stir in the hot stock, one and a half teaspoons of salt and a good grind of black pepper, and bring to a boil. Wrap the saucepan lid with a clean tea towel, then use it to cover the rice. Turn down the heat, cook for 10 minutes, then take off the heat and leave to rest, still covered, for five minutes.

Uncover so the rice cools slightly, then fluff it up with a fork. Stir in the peas, sultanas, raisins, half the nuts, most of the herbs and all of the butter.

Transfer the rice to a large serving plate or bowl, garnish with the remaining nuts and herbs, and serve.