1.5 kg leg of lamb boned, untied

2 tbsp olive oil

2-3 onions finely chopped

2 tsp Mistress of Spice Baharat

Juice of one lemon

3 cloves garlic, crushed or grated

2 tbsp of dark brown sugar with a little balsamic vinegar to make a syrup.

1 tbsp castor sugar

Saffron couscous

2 cups couscous

2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

½ tsp saffron threads

¼ cup each of pistachios and slivered almonds, roasted

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp olive oil

¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Soften onion in frying pan with oil. Add Mistress of Spice Baharat and cook until highly fragrant, about a minute. Stir in the lemon juice and garlic, the brown sugar vinegar mix and 1 cup water. Bring to the boil and simmer steadily for 15 minutes, until liquid is reduced by half. Add sugar, remove from heat and cool.

Place untied, “butterflied” lamb in a large glass or ceramic dish and coat with half the marinade. Reserving the remaining half of the marinade in an airtight container in the fridge. Cover and refrigerate over night, turning a few times at night and then some more during the following day. Line a baking tray with foil or baking paper and lightly grease with oil, place lamb in tray and roast at 180oC for about 45- 60 minutes, basting regularly with pan juices. Remove lamb from oven and rest for 10 minutes.

While the lamb is cooking proceed with the couscous. Place couscous in a large bowl. Bring stock and saffron to the boil and pour over couscous, then cover and stand for 20 minutes, or until the stock is absorbed. With some of the couscous brands, they have been precooked, the time in this case is around 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork, then add nuts, lemon juice, oil and parsley and mix well.

Heat remaining marinade in a small saucepan or in the microwave on medium heat until heated through. Divide the couscous mixture onto the plates, top each serving with thick slices of the lamb and drizzle with a spoonful of the warm marinade. Serves 4