Pulled lamb/goat shoulder with pickled onions and sumac, tzatziki sauce, and green schug

Braising is an art, slow cooking meat over extended periods, 4-10 hours, or more, helps develop deep flavours and infuse the meat with all the spices and herbs. This tender meat is prized all over the world in French, Italian, and Spanish stews, as well as in Asian soups, Indian and Thai curries, and American chillies. I enjoy eating braised meats. I also really enjoy the process of cooking these dishes, watching the food transform over time, and having the whole house fill with the fragrant aroma of dinner.

This recipe is no exception. I will admit, it's a recipe that requires commitment, with numerous components, and the meat takes a long time to cook. However, the pulled lamb or goat was spectacular! Super tender and infused with spices from the harissa and the tartness from the preserved lemons. On the soft burger, the meat was complemented by the cooling tzatziki sauce, the crunchy onions with sumac and the final touch (or lots) of the green schug. This is a sandwich I really loved!

This is a wonderful cookbook that I do not cook from enough. The flavours are spectacular, and not all recipes are as demanding as this one. It highlights the region's cuisine, featuring well-written recipes and stunning photographs. Palomar restaurant in London is a go-to destination for modern Middle Eastern cuisine. It is on my bucket list.

For more recipes from this fantastic cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

For the goat shoulder:

4 lbs of goat or lamb shoulder, bone in, kept whole or cut in half

3 tablespoons harissa sauce, a good commercial variety okay

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon preserved lemons, seeds removed and minced

1 tablespoon ground cumin seeds

1 teaspoon sugar

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

1 onion, sliced

1 carrot, diced fine

2 stalks of celery, diced fine

For the red onions and sumac:

3 red onions, halved and thinly sliced

1 large handful of parsley

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1 generous tablespoon sumac

3 tablespoons lime or lemon juice

4 tablespoons olive oil

Salt, to taste

Other accompaniments:

Hamburger buns, or pita bread pockets

Tzatziki sauce

Green schug

Red onions and sumac

Lettuce

To make the red onions and sumac:

Mix all the ingredients and allow them to marinate for 2 hours, although overnight in the fridge is even better. The onions pickle overnight and are wonderful. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

For the goat shoulder:

Mix the harissa, preserved lemons, cumin, sugar, garlic, salt and pepper. Generously coat the meat with the sauce and allow it to marinate for 3 hours at room temperature; however, overnight in the fridge is always preferable.

There are a few ways to cook the meat at this stage.

In the oven:

Preheat the oven to 425° F.

Roast the meat in a deep baking pan for 15 minutes. Turn over, add the vegetables, and roast for an additional 10-15 minutes. You want the beef sealed and starting to brown, without burning the spice mix.

Add boiling water to the pan and cover with foil, sealing well. Place the pan in the oven for an additional 15 minutes, allowing the water to come to a boil. Reduce the heat to 250° F and roast for 6 hours. Check to see if the meat is tender and falling off the bone.

On the stove:

Pan-sauté the meat until seared on all sides with a touch of oil. Make sure you do not burn the spice mix during this process. Add the onions, carrots, and celery, and sauté until lightly coloured. Add the meat, vegetables and about 2 cups of water to an Instant Pot and slow cook for 7 hours. Turn the meat over a couple of times during this process to ensure it cooks evenly. At the end of this time, you should have very tender meat in a wonderful sauce; it should be fork tender.

Remove the cooked meat from the sauce or the oven, and shred with your fingers; it should be that tender. Keep the meat aside in a few tablespoons of the cooking liquid to prevent it from drying out.

If there is a lot of oil in the cooking liquid, as is often the case, you can choose to remove it using the following method. I always follow this process for a healthier dinner. Chill the sauce in the fridge for 5 hours, or overnight. The oil forms a layer on top that can be easily scraped off.

Bring the sauce to a boil, and add the meat back into the sauce. Cook on medium heat until the sauce has thickened significantly and the meat has absorbed all the spices. I like to leave it a little sloppy (and juicy) as the meat tends to dry up over time.

Serve with hamburger buns or pita bread pockets, tzatziki sauce, green schug, onions and sumac and lettuce.