Serves 15-18
INGREDIENTS:
8–10 pound lean lamb roast or baron of lamb
salt and pepper to taste
juice of 2 lemons
2 to 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped to taste
2 Tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Wash lamb thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels. Place lamb on rack in large shallow roasting pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Put juice of two lemons, garlic and mustard in small bowl. Stir to mix well. Use your hand to rub the mustard mixture over the surface of the lamb.
Place lamb in hot oven to sear for 35 to 45 minutes. Reduce heat to 325°F and continue to bake for 3½ to 4½ hours, or until a meat thermometer registers about 150° for medium. Allow 20 minutes per pound for rare meat and 35 minutes per pound for well-done meat. While baking, baste occasionally with pan drippings, using mixing spoon or bulb baster. Remove from oven and let rest at least 20 minutes before carving.
Transfer meat to a carving board and cut across the grain into thin slices, then transfer the slices onto a large serving platter.
Serve méchoui with North African chlada felfel, thiebour nop niébé and couscous.
Note that eating is done only with the right hand.
Recipe from Multicultural Cookbook of Life-Cycle Celebrations, by Lois Sinaiko Webb.
