Slow-cooked pomegranate lamb

• 1 x 2-3 kg lamb shoulder, bone in, fat trimmed.
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and halved.
• 1 tablespoon ras el hanout*.
• 2 tablespoons oregano leaves.
• 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes.
• 400 ml beef stock.
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses, plus extra to serve.
• salt and cracked black pepper.
• currants, 40 g toasted pine nuts, chopped parsley or coriander, cooked couscous to serve.

* Ras el hanout is an aromatic North African spice mix. Here’s one recipe. There are many.

• 1½ teaspoons ground black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom seeds
• ¼ teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Combine, makes about two tablespoons

Method: Preheat oven to 170 degrees. Put lamb, garlic, ras el hanout, oregano, tomatoes, stock, pomegranate molasses, salt and pepper in a baking dish and cover. I use the cast iron le Creuset.

Cover and bake for three hours, turning lamb after an hour and a half.

Uncover lamb and cook, meaty side up, for another thirty minutes.

Remove bone and transfer lamb to a serving dish. It will break up appetisingly.

Spoon over pan juices, drizzle with extra pomegranate molasses, and serve with couscous, currants, pine nuts and parsley/coriander.

Variations: fresh chopped dates can be substituted for the currants, and chopped pistachios for the toasted pine nuts.