This recipe comes from the Passover traditions of Ron and Leetal Arazi, owners of New York Shuk (and makers of our favorite harissa paste). “Leetal’s Turkish grandmother loved to make lamb before she immigrated to Israel,” Ron tells us, “but when she got there, it was so hard to find that she reserved it for holidays.” “We use ras el hanout, harissa, and preserved lemons on the meat as a nod to Ron’s Moroccan heritage, and because fennel is a springtime vegetable and Passover is a spring holiday, it’s also a must on our table,” Leetal adds. “We love to put the lamb in the oven before bed and wake up to its aroma. It’s the most delicious thing in the world.”
Since harissas can vary widely in terms of heat level, Ron and Leetal suggest tasting it before you start cooking: If yours tastes very spicy, try reducing the 1 cup in the recipe to ¾ cup (or less) and make up the difference with puréed jarred roasted red peppers. If you can’t find store-bought preserved lemon paste, you can make your own. To make enough paste for this recipe, remove the seeds from ½ cup quartered preserved lemons, then chop very finely. Turn your knife on its side and press into a paste.
Recipe information
Yield
6 - 8 Servings
Ingredients
Lamb
Salad and assembly
Preparation
Lamb
Step 1
Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Place apricots in a medium bowl and pour in boiling water just to cover; reserve saucepan. Let apricots soak 10 minutes, then drain. Set aside.
Step 2
Meanwhile, mix salt and ras-el-hanout in a small bowl to combine. Mix garlic, harissa, and preserved lemon paste in a medium bowl to combine. Mix oil, 1½ tsp. salt mixture, and ¼ cup harissa mixture in another small bowl; set oil mixture aside for roasting vegetables.
Step 3
Rub 2 Tbsp. harissa mixture all over lamb, then coat lamb with remaining salt mixture, pressing to adhere. Coat lamb with remaining harissa mixture. Place in a large roasting pan and cover with a sheet of parchment paper, pressing firmly to adhere to meat and tucking in ends. Let lamb sit on the counter at room temperature at least 2 hours, or chill overnight. If chilling, let meat sit at room temperature 2 hours before roasting.
Step 4
When you’re ready to roast lamb, place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 300°. Toss potatoes, onions, and fennel in a large bowl with reserved oil mixture to coat, then toss in reserved apricots just to distribute.
Step 5
Bring 1½ cups water to a boil in reserved saucepan. Remove parchment paper from lamb and arrange vegetables around; pour boiling water into roasting pan. Place a fresh sheet of parchment loosely over lamb and cover with a sheet of heavy-duty foil, crimping tightly around edges to seal. Slide pan into oven and place a large rimmed baking sheet on rack below roasting pan to catch any drips. Bake until lamb is fork-tender, 5½–6 hours. Remove pan from oven and let lamb rest 30 minutes before uncovering.
salad and assembly
Step 6
While the meat is resting, halve fennel bulb and thinly slice on a mandoline or with a knife. Toss fennel and herbs in a medium bowl to combine, then add oil and preserved lemon paste and toss to coat.
Step 7
To serve, place lamb on a large platter and arrange vegetables around. Pour some of the roasting juices over. Top with some of the fennel salad; serve remaining salad and a bowl of any remaining roasting juices alongside. As you pull the meat from the bone, you can moisten it with juices if desired.
