Makloubeh

• servings: Serves eight

Ingredients

2½ tbsp olive oil

750g lamb neck (4-5 pieces), bone in

1 onion, sliced 1cm thick (150g)

8 garlic cloves, peeled

10 cardamom pods, roughly bashed in a pestle and mortar

20 black peppercorns, roughly crushed in a pestle and mortar

3 bay leaves

2 dried Iranian limes (if you can find them, or else leave them out), roughly stabbed with a small knife

5 plum tomatoes (450g), roughly chopped

2 tsp tomato purée

2 green chillies, halved lengthways

2½ tsp ground allspice

2½ tsp ground cinnamon

¾ tsp ground turmeric

Salt and black pepper

350g basmati rice

3½ tbsp olive oil

300g butternut squash, unpeeled and cut into 1cm-thick half-moons

400g runner beans, trimmed, then cut at an angle into 4cm pieces

1 green pepper, deseeded and cut into roughly 3cm cubes (150g)

1 large onion, cut into 1cm-thick rings (180g)

40g unsalted butter, cut into

1cm dice

1 large lemon, cut into 2mm-thick

slices, pips discarded (100g)

150g green peas (fresh or frozen), defrosted

200g broad beans (podded but still in their shells), fresh or frozen and defrosted

To serve

1 tbsp olive oil

30g whole blanched almonds

20g pine nuts

1 red chilli, finely chopped

10g coriander, roughly chopped

300g Greek-style yoghurt

Directions

Begin by washing the rice until the water runs clear, then leave it to soak in plenty of cold water with 2 teaspoons of salt for at least 2 hours (or overnight).

Put the oil for the lamb into a large saucepan, about 25cm wide and 10cm high, for which you have a lid, and place on a medium-high heat. Toss the lamb pieces with ½ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper and, once hot, add to the saucepan along with the onions, garlic, cardamom, peppercorns, bay leaves and limes, if using. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the lamb has taken on some colour and the onions are soft and golden. Add the tomatoes, tomato purée, chillies and ground spices and cook for about 4 minutes, until slightly thickened and fragrant. Add

1.4 litres of water and 2 teaspoons of salt, bring to the boil, then cover with the lid, lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 1 hour and 40 minutes, or until the lamb is tender and practically falling off the bone. Remove from the heat and use a pair of tongs to pick out the lamb, transferring it to a bowl and leaving it to cool slightly before pulling the meat apart into large chunks, discarding the bones. There is a fair amount of fat here, but don't discard it: it can be added to the meat. Leave the stock and aromatics in the pan.

While the meat is cooking, prepare your vegetables. Put 1½ tablespoons of oil into a large sauté pan on a medium-high heat. Add the squash, ⅙ teaspoon of salt and a grind of black pepper, and cook for about 10 minutes, turning as needed, until golden and softened. Transfer to a large parchment-lined tray. Add another 1½ teaspoons of oil to the same pan, followed by the runner beans, green pepper, ¼ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Cook for about 8-9 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables have charred and softened. Transfer to the same tray, keeping them separate from the squash. Add another 1½ teaspoons of oil to the pan, along with the onion. Cook for about 3 minutes in total, until browned and slightly softened, before transferring to the same tray, separate from the rest.

Drain the rice through a sieve. Return the stock and aromatics to the stove and place on a medium heat. Bring to a simmer, add the rice and cook for 6 minutes, or until al dente, draining it through a sieve set over a bowl. Measure out 150ml of stock, saving the rest for another use.

To assemble the maqlubeh, wipe out your saucepan, then coat the bottom and sides with the remaining tablespoon of oil and 15g of the butter. Spread the lemon slices out over the base of the pan, followed by the squash, onion, chunks of meat, runner beans and green pepper and, finally, the peas and broad beans. Sprinkle with ⅛ teaspoon of salt and a grind of black pepper, then give everything a good press, pushing down to compact the vegetables. Top with the rice and push down again to compress. Use the skinny handle of a wooden spoon to make 4 or 5 small holes through the rice, then pour in the 150ml of stock. Cover the pan tightly with foil, followed by the lid, and place over a medium-high heat, cooking for about 7 minutes before turning the heat to low and leaving to cook, undisturbed, for 40 minutes. Uncover, dot with the remaining 25g of butter, then replace the lid and leave to cook for 10 minutes more. Remove from the heat and let sit for about 20 minutes to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, toast the nuts. Put the olive oil into a small frying pan placed on a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the almonds and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring continuously until golden. Add the pine nuts and cook for another 30-60 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, remove the nuts from the pan and set

aside to cool. The oil can be discarded

Once ready to serve, remove the lid and place a large flat serving dish over the open pot. Quickly invert the pot, so that the plate is now at the base. Tap the bottom of the pot (which is now at the top!) to gently help the maqlubeh slide out. Garnish with the nuts, red chilli and coriander and serve, with a spoonful

of yoghurt alongside.

Pictured on previous page

Notes

Maqlubeh is one of Palestine's key national dishes. This 'upside down' dish, made in one pot before being inverted on to a plate to serve, carries with it a real 'ta dal' thrill. However many times you've made it (or if you're making It for the first time), there's always a moment of 'eeek' before the pot gets flipped. Tap the base, count to three and be quick and confident that all will be well! Serve with a chopped salad (see page 92), some pickles, if you like, and a spoonful of thick yoghurt.

Getting aheod: You can make the stock and cook the lamb a day ahead. Keep it in the fridge overnight, and just warm through before proceeding.