Couscous with Seven Vegetables

Ingredients

• 700g lamb shoulder on the bone, cut into large pieces
• 500g medium couscous
• 2 onions, thickly sliced
• 3 carrots, peeled and quartered lengthways
• 2 turnips, peeled and quartered
• 300g pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and cut into large wedges
• 2 courgettes, halved and cut into long batons
• 1/4 small white cabbage, cut into 2 wedges
• 3 tomatoes, grated
• 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained, or 150g dried chickpeas soaked overnight
• 1 large pinch saffron threads
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small bunch coriander, tied
• 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, tied
• 80ml olive oil
• 80g unsalted butter, softened
• 2 litres water
• 2 tsp salt, plus more for the couscous
• 1 tbsp harissa, to serve (optional)

Before you cook

• Cut all the vegetables to the sizes listed and keep the quick-cooking ones, the courgette and cabbage, on a separate plate.
• Grate the tomatoes on the coarse side of a box grater and discard the skins.
• Tie the coriander and parsley into one bundle.
• Tip the couscous into a very wide shallow bowl or roasting tray, sprinkle over 200ml cold water and 1 tsp salt, and rub the grains through your fingers for 2 minutes until they are evenly damp and loose. Leave to swell for 15 minutes.
• Line the top of a couscoussier or a steamer basket with muslin if the holes are large.

Steps

1. Put the lamb, onions, grated tomatoes, saffron, ginger, turmeric, black pepper, olive oil, herb bundle and salt into the base of a couscoussier or a tall stockpot.
2. Pour over the water, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a steady simmer.
3. Rub the damp couscous once more between your palms to break up every lump.
4. Set the steamer basket on top of the pot without a lid and pile in the couscous loosely. Steam for 20 minutes from the moment you see steam rising through the grains.
5. Tip the couscous back into the wide bowl and spread it out. Sprinkle over 150ml cold water and 1/2 tsp salt, then rake the grains apart with a fork and then your hands once it is cool enough to touch. Leave it for 10 minutes.
6. Add the carrots, turnips and chickpeas to the simmering broth.
7. Return the couscous to the steamer and steam for a second time, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
8. Tip the couscous back out, sprinkle over another 100ml water, and work the grains apart again with your fingers. Leave it to rest for 10 minutes.
9. Add the pumpkin, cabbage and courgettes to the pot and press them under the surface of the broth.
10. Steam the couscous a third and final time for 20 minutes, by which point the grains should be plump, dry to the touch and completely separate.
11. Check the meat with a fork. It should be falling from the bone. If not, lift out the vegetables to a warm dish and give the lamb another 15 minutes.
12. Turn the couscous out into the wide bowl for the last time, dot the softened butter over it and fork it through until it melts.
13. Ladle over about 200ml of the hot broth and fork it in, then let the couscous drink it for 5 minutes.
14. Mound the couscous on a large platter and hollow out the centre with the back of a spoon.
15. Pile the lamb into the hollow, arrange the vegetables in spokes over the mound and moisten everything with a few more ladles of broth.
16. Serve the remaining broth in a jug, with harissa loosened with a spoonful of hot broth alongside for those who want heat.