Name: Slow-cooked spiced lamb with orzo
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 4 h 15 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 2 large onions peeled; olive oil; 1 leg of lamb; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp paprika; ½ tsp ground allspice; 400g tin of cherry tomatoes; 3 garlic cloves crushed; few thyme sprigs; 400ml chicken stock; ½ lemon sliced; 300g orzo; 50-100g feta crumbled; small handful of mint leaves; small handful of parsley; ½ lemon zested and juiced

Slow-cooked spiced lamb with orzo on a large platter

2 large onions
peeled
olive oil
1 leg of lamb
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp ground allspice
400g tin of cherry tomatoes
3 garlic cloves
crushed
few thyme sprigs
400ml chicken stock
½ lemon
sliced
300g orzo

TO SERVE

50-100g feta
crumbled
small handful of mint leaves
small handful of parsley
½ lemon
zested and juiced

Method

step 1
Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Cut the onions into thick discs and put in the bottom of a roasting tin, casserole or baking dish the lamb will fit snugly into. Drizzle with a little oil and season with salt and pepper.
step 2
Sit the lamb on top of the onions then rub all over with oil. Mix the spices with 1 tsp of salt and a few grinds of pepper, and rub half of this all over the lamb.
step 3
Roast uncovered for 30 mins then take out and turn down the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3.
step 4
Tip in the tomatoes, garlic, thyme, the remaining spices and stock. Add the lemon slices to the tin then cover with a lid or a double layer of foil and put back in the oven for 3 hrs 30 mins.
step 5
Remove the foil. Stir the orzo into the juices, then cover loosely and put back in the oven for 15-20 mins until the orzo is tender. To serve, scatter over the feta, mint, parsley, lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice.