Spicy Harissa Lamb Shoulder in Pita Cones with Tahini Sauce
Recipe provided by Spicy Harissa Lamb Shoulder Chunks in Pita Cones with Tahini Sauce (twopurplefigs.com), courtesy of the American Lamb Board (Spicy Harissa Lamb Shoulder in Pita Cones with Tahini Sauce | American Lamb).
Preheat a pot with lid on high with half the olive oil. Season the cubed lamb chunks with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Add the garlic and lamb chunks and start sautéing them on high heat with the olive oil. Continue sautéing them for 3-5 minutes until the lamb starts to dry and begin to char. Add a tablespoon of olive oil gradually to the meat while sautéing until a nice char is achieved.
Cover the pot and lower the heat to medium, adding extra olive oil if needed and let the lamb cook for another 20-30 minutes. Turn off the heat and add in the herbs, the Harissa sauce and keep the lamb pot covered for at least 5 minutes to absorb all the flavors. This technique creates a chewy (not hard), flavor packed, charred tasting lamb with a burst of garlic, spice and freshness of the herbs.
Prepare the Harissa sauce by blending all ingredients together. Set aside.
Add the tahini pasta in a bowl and whisk it with the water until it turns lighter in color and almost like a hard paste. Add in the remaining ingredients and whisk to blend. If the sauce looks too thick for your taste, add a tablespoon of extra water. If it’s too runny for your taste, add a tablespoon of extra tahini paste. Taste salt and adjust seasoning.
Make the carrot salad by mixing all ingredients together. Set aside.
Split each pita bread into 2 half circles. each half circle Pita will have a round side, a straight side and 2 end corners. Place the half circle with one end corner pointed towards you. Take that pointed corner of that pita half and fold it over two inches wide on to the round side of the pita half creating the first fold of the cone. Place your fingers inside the opening of the cone and your other hand at the bottom part of the cone, and start folding the bread over in the same way you created that first cone fold to completely wrap the pita half into a full cone.
Secure the loose edge of the cone with a toothpick and repeat the same process with the remaining pita bread.
Start piling your pita cones, Add shredded lettuce at the bottom, some flavorful lamb chunks, extra Harissa sauce (if desired), some Moroccan carrot salad, more lamb chunks, more Harissa sauce, a generous drizzle of tahini sauce and some extra chopped mint. Enjoy!
