Slow-roasted lamb (mechoui)

At The Ruined Garden of Riad Idrissy, this dish is wrapped in banana leaves and cooked over charcoal, although an oven or barbecue also works. Don’t be put off by the time it takes to prepare – this dish is great for dinner parties and, once you bring it to the table, the unwrapping is simple and always gets guests excited. The meat is so tender that you can serve it with a spoon and fork, and there’s a complex mix of sweet, salty and spicy flavours. If you like, scale down as necessary using a smaller joint and reduce the cooking time. You can also use other lamb cuts, such as shoulder. Traditionally, the only seasoning used would have been salt, ground cumin and maybe ground hot paprika. Any leftovers can be enjoyed cold, wrapped up in rice flour pancakes and topped with shredded green herbs and preserved lemon and chilli.