Colm O'Gorman's alternative Easter feast

For his celebratory feast, Colm O'Gorman leans towards Middle Eastern flavours for his lamb centrepiece. Paired with easy sides and homemade flatbreads, the result is a casual party menu that works particularly well with spring lamb

This shawarma is the centrepiece of Colm O'Gorman's alternative Easter feast

Colm O'Gorman's Lamb Shawarma

recipe by:Colm O'Gorman

This spiced lamb shawarma is roasted in the oven, low and slow, until it is falling-apart tender and juicy.

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 30 mins

Cooking Time

 1 hours 30 mins

Total Time

 2 hours 0 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Middle-Eastern

Ingredients

• 1.5kg leg of lamb, butterflied

• 6 cloves garlic

• 2 tsp ground coriander

• 2 tbsp ground cumin

• 2 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp ground black pepper

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp ground ginger

• 2 tsp flaky sea salt

• 2 tsp fennel seed

• 1 tsp allspice

• 60 ml extra virgin olive oil

• Juice and zest of a lemon

• 1 large onion

Method

1. If you can, marinate your lamb overnight, but do give it at least two hours in the marinade. Make up the marinade by blitzing the garlic, all the spices, the salt, olive oil, lemon juice and zest in a food processor until you get a smooth paste. Open out the butterflied lamb and spread the marinade all over the meat, covering both sides well. Roll the lamb back up, cover it in cling film and pop it in the fridge to marinade overnight.

2. The next day preheat your oven to 160 Celsius. Peel and cut the onion into thick slices. Scatter the onion over the bottom of a cast iron casserole, open out the lamb and and sit it on top of the onions. Pop on the lid and place the dish into the oven. If you do not have a casserole dish, you can use a roasting tray, covered with a double layer of tin foil. Roast the lamb for one hour, and then add 200 ml of water to the casserole. Pop the lid back on and roast it for another ninety minutes, then finally, remove the lid and roast the lamb for one more hour until it is soft and tender and the surface has a beautiful spicy crust.

Pickled red onions

Easy peasy - we should all have these in our fridge

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 20 mins

Course

 Side

Ingredients

• 2 red onions

• 250ml white wine vinegar

• 125g caster sugar

• 1 tsp sea salt

Method

1. While the lamb is roasting you can prepare the accompaniments. To make the picked onions, peel and very thinly slice two red onions. Heat the white wine vinegar, sugar and salt over a medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Pour the mixture over the sliced onions and let them pickle away until you are ready to serve. If there are any leftovers, these onions will keep for a few weeks in a jar in the fridge and they are delicious with burgers, grilled meats and chicken or as a side to cheese toasties.