Roast lamb shoulder with couscous

Lamb shoulder is very fatty but cooked for a long time the fat will melt and you can discard it.

Put the lamb shoulder (with or without bone) skin-side up on an oven-safe dish and roast ~15 minutes in 475 F / 250 C the skin is brown, then reduce the heat to 350F / 175 and cook for another 3 hours, pouring off fat along the way as needed.

For the couscous, place 1 measure of grain in a pan, add the same volume of warm water, 1 tablespoon orange blossom water, and cinnamon. Let swell for 10-15 minutes, then add a bit of vegetable oil and rub the grains between your hands to break up lumps and insert air. Mix in raisins (1/4 of the measure of grains) and pit less dates stuffed with chopped almonds. I stuff all the dates (~ same volume as grains), then cut most of them in 2-3 pieces, leaving a couple of whole dates for decoration.  Cover with foil and add to the oven for the last 20 minutes of the meat cooking. Add butter (plenty) while fluffing the grains. Delicious, the picture does not do the dish justice!