Fair warning, this is definitely a post for carnivores. But if you are a carnivore, strap yourself in. Let me introduce you to what I like to think of as Morocco’s answer to the U.S.A.’s Southern Barbecue.
Mechoui Lamb, baby. THE street food of the back alleys of Marrakesh.
In the back streets of Morocco, if you look in the right place, I’m told that you will find this delicious delicacy. Tender, whole lamb, slowly cooked in an underground pit-oven, until perfectly crisp and melting.
If you know the right person to ask, you can order a pile this delicate meat, and it will come to you alongside a few hearty, knotty rounds of Khobz, the traditional wholemeal bread of Morroco, and a little pile of cumin and sea salt.
If ever I wanted to win someone over to trying Lamb, which I don’t because what you eat is up to you, but if I did, this is what I would make. So delicious, so tender, so easy. This has everything going for it, and with that sprinkle of cumin and sea salt, and the crusty khobz bread, it’s very easy to close your eyes and pretend that the sounds of the souk are right outside your door.
I think if you’re eating this for dinner, and not as a street-snack in Marrakesh, you do need to have something light and refreshing alongside. A carrot and orange salad, or just some lemony-dressed green leaves would be perfect.
So would you ever want to go to Marrakesh? As a 1960s obsessive, the whole flowing-kaftan, rock and roll aspect of it appeals to me a lot. But as I get older, I am becoming more and more fascinated by the history of that part of the world.
And of course, the food would be amazing. Have you been, would you go? Tell me your thoughts!
xx Sarah.
- 1 x 2kg (4 pound) shoulder of lamb
- Salt and pepper
- 1 + ⅔ cups (250g) plain flour
- 1 cup (160g) wholemeal flour
- ⅔ cup (100g) fine semolina
- 1½ tsp yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 + ½ cups (375ml) warm water
- Cumin seeds
- To serve:
- Ground cumin
- flaky sea salt
- fresh salad ingredients
- Preheat the oven to 450F (230C).
- Place the lamb, fat side up into a roasting dish, and season it VERY generously all over with salt and pepper. Rub the salt and pepper into the meat really well, and you can slash it in a few places if you like.
- Add about a cup of water to the bottom of the tray, cover the whole thing tightly with foil and place it in the oven. Turn the temperature down to 340F (170C) immediately, and leave it to slowly cook for 4 hours, or until it easily shreds apart.
- Meanwhile, to make the Khobz, place all the ingredients except the cumin into a bowl and bring them together. Knead the mixture until it is smooth and elastic, and only slightly tacky.
- Place in a bowl and cover with plastic, and then leave it in a warm place until doubled in size.
- When the dough has risen, punch it down and shape it into 6 x 5 inch rounds. Scatter some cumin seeds over each one, and set aside to rise again, until doubled in size.
- Bake the bread for 25 minutes, or until browned and hollow sounding, when tapped.
- Serve the lamb shredded, with rounds of warm bread, and plenty of ground cumin and sea salt for sprinkling over. This is particularly nice with a crunchy carrot salad, and plenty of fresh parsley and mint on the side.
Looks so amazing!
I went to Marrakech last christmas and it was an experience to say the least! If you go, you must go to jemma el fna in the evening for the most amazing street food!! (I will definitely email you some of my faves!)
Where has this been all my life??? can we please take off for morocco now so we can find the best mechoui in the land?!?
Oh my gosh, morocco is right next to india on my list of “places i’m going to go as soon as i get my car paid off”. It’s such a fascinating part of the world!
and this looks incredible – lamb is insanely expensive in the us but i might have to splurge and try this. i’m at least making the bread!
What a gorgeous post! I just discovered your blog, and adore it! Looking forward to following your culinary adventures – wow…
Thanks so much MB! I’m glad ya found me!
This looks so freaking good!
Haven’t been, would go in a heartbeat, and while there, would eat all of the food, because Moroccan food makes my heart beat extra-fast. Love this!
Wow… I will be DEFO stealing and making this something for myself :) My grandparents have a villa just outside of marrakech in the mountains so I’ve been many times, I love the culture and the city is brilliant. You do however have to be carful like any foreign city, a few of us got quite ill after a meal out in the square, but it was so worth it, such a good experience to eat in the middle of it all. Especially those back alleys, when you have a guide who does know their way, we ended up in the most lush hotel from the outside looked of nothing, but inside was a hidden paradise.
lamb, glorious lamb. we are serious carnivorous over here, and something very similar to this makes it to our table nearly every Sunday. (Is it bad that we eat streetfood on sundays?)
Cheers!
Oh my goodness! This post makes me want to eat a plate full of this lamb AND go to Morocco! Yum!