Ingredients :

• Zaatar — Buy it in a Middle Eastern grocery store. Zaatar sold in supermarkets is often too pale and too bland. A good zaatar is an intense dark green, smells strong, and contains sumac — that burgundy-red acidulant that gives it its characteristic slight touch of bitterness. Mix it with olive oil to form a paste thick enough to stay on the meat without running.
• Leg of lamb — With the bone, always. The meat around the bone cooks differently, stays more tender, and develops more flavor. Count 1.5 to 2 kg for 4 people. Avoid frozen pieces — the texture after thawing is less firm, and you can tell in the result.
• Eggplants — Heavy and firm when you buy them. An eggplant that is light for its size is full of air and bitter water. Cut them into large wedges of 4 to 5 cm: too thin, they disappear along the way and you end up with compote before the leg is ready.
• Garlic — Whole, unpeeled, tossed directly into the dish. It confits gently throughout the cooking process. At the table, squeeze the cloves between your fingers — the pulp comes out like a cream and can be spread on the meat. Don’t forget it.