Harissa and Yogurt Marinated Leg of Lamb Recipe

Is there anything more delicious than a tender lamb recipe that’s been marinated overnight to really maximise the flavour? This Middle Eastern style dish uses harissa paste and Greek yogurt to flavour the meat and give it a lovely spiced flavour.

Harissa paste is a North African ingredient that contains roasted red peppers, Baklouti pepper, serano peppers and a whole host of other hot peppers and herbs and spices like garlic, coriander and saffron. This mix of ingredients makes it a great choice of marinade for the lamb in this recipe and leaving it to soak in the marinade overnight really deepens that flavour.

By combining roasting the meat in the oven and barbecuing it for the last ten minutes, you’ll get a really intense flavour that the whole family will just love. This recipe serves six people, so it’s a great one to try for a summer gathering.

HOW TO MAKE HARISSA AND YOGURT MARINATED LEG OF LAMB

Ingredients

• 5tsp harissa paste
• 2tbsp Greek yogurt
• around 1.25kg (2lb 12oz) leg of lamb, butterfly boned (ask your butcher to do this)
• lemon wedges, to serve

Method

1. Mix the harissa and yogurt, and season. Lay the lamb out, flesh side up. Spread the mix on top. Marinate overnight if you can.
2. When ready to cook, heat the oven to 170 C, 150 C fan, 325 F, gas 3. Season the lamb all over, place marinade side up in an oiled roasting tin, and cook for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, depending on how pink you like it. Remove from the tin and place it skin side down on the barbecue for 10 minutes, for a charred flavour. Allow to rest for 20 minutes, then slice and serve with the lemon wedges.