RAS EL HANOUT MOROCCAN LAMB FLATBREAD

Gorgeous outstandingly amazing and sumptuous spiced North African Moroccan lamb, charred over a hot coal pot and wrapped up in a flatbread with Greek yogurt, harissa paste, onions, peppers and watercress spinach salad.

This is my first experience with Ras El Hanout, which translates to "head of the shop", meaning the very best top shelf ingredients reserved for special occasions or special family meals.

INGREDIENTS

(Serves 4)

FLATBREAD DOUGH

(makes 6)

500g 00 flour

15g dried yeast

10g salt

50ml olive oil

320ml water

INGREDIENTS

2 lamb loin fillets

100g watercress

90g spinach

Greek yogurt

1 onion sliced

1 green pepper sliced

4 tsp harissa paste

RAS EL HANOUT SPICE PASTE

(Don't panic you can buy this paste already done)

PLACE THE FOLLOWING IN A COFFEE GRINDER OR PESTLE AND MORTAR

1 fresh chilli chopped

1 shallot finely diced

1" ginger grated

2 garlic cloves grated

1 tsp black peppercorns

1 tsp fennel seeds or star anise

1 tsp chilli flakes

5 cardamom pods seeds only

1pinch sea salt

1/2 lemon juiced

IN A DRY FRYING PAN TOAST THESE SPICES

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds

ADD THESE TO THE ABOVE INGREDIENTS AND GRIND TO A PASTE

1/2 tsp sweet smoked paprika

50-100ml ground nut or rapeseed oil

LASTLY ADD THESE TO THE REST OF THE SPICES AND MAKE A PASTE

When adding the oil to your spice mix add enough to make a paste not to dry but not loose either.  Rub the Ras El Hanout generously all over the lamb fillets and pop in the fridge until needed, (min 30 minutes).

To make the flatbread dough mix all the ingredients together and knead for 5 minutes, cover with a tea towel and leave to rest.  This dough is wonderfully versatile you can use it immediately but resting for 20 minutes would give you a better flatbread, however if you want a lighter more airy flatbread leave the dough to rest for 1-3 hrs.  Any left over dough pop in the fridge covered with oiled cling film wrap and when ready to use bring out and leave on the side to come up to room temperature approx 15 minutes.  This dough can be kept for 48hrs in the fridge or popped into the freezer until needed, just bring up to room temperature before use.

You can cook the lamb one of two ways, for that authentic charred smoked flavour cut the lamb into large chunks and placed them on a skewer, cook them over hot coals, don't turn the skewer until it has sealed and charred a little, approx 2-3 minutes each side for medium rare.  Or you can cook the lamb fillet whole in a dry non stick pan on a medium hot heat, sear all sides of the lamb, then turn the heat down and cook for  2 minutes more for rare, 4 minutes for medium and 5+ for well done, remove from the pan and leave covered in foil for 5-10 minutes to rest.  Cut on the diagonal.

Meanwhile take the dough and divide into 6 balls, roll out each ball to the rough size of a dinner plate around 8" however ops! my dinner plates are 12" !!!  Using the same pan on a medium hot heat cook the flatbreads approx 1-2 minutes on each side, the first flatbread will soak up all the aromatic spices and juices from the lamb, that bread is the chef's perk!  If you want to share this just add half a teaspoon of the Ras El Hanout paste to the pan with each bread you cook.  Keep the breads wrapped in a tea towel to keep warm.

To serve I like to place lots of bowls or a large chopping board with all the ingredients on so that everyone can dive in and help themselves to load up their warm flatbread with spinach and watercress topped with lots of Ras El Hanout lamb, Greek yogurt, harissa paste, onions and peppers, just gorgeous!