Tomato Jam:
Shawarma Sauce:
Shawarma Seasoning:
In a medium bowl, add oregano, rosemary, salt and pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup lemon juice and 1/4 cup oil. Using a sharp knife, score the inside of the roast on a diagonal in 1-inch intervals. Turn roast over; score fat cap. Rub herb mixture over both sides of lamp; pour lemon-oil over roast. Tie roast with butcher’s twine; place in large baking dish, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
Whisk remaining 1/2 cup lemon juice and 1/4 cup oil together; set aside. Place roast on a roasting rack lightly coated with nonstick spray. Roast at 325ºF until temperature reaches 130ºF, about 2-1/2 to 3 hours; baste every 30 minutes with lemon juice-oil mixture. Remove from oven; tent loosely with aluminum foil. Let rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing into 1/4-inch-thick pieces. (Roast can also be cooled completely before slicing.)
Prepare Tomato Jam and Shawarma Sauce while lamb roasts.
For Tomato Jam: In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onions; cook until translucent, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, sugar, salt and cayenne; bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until mixture is thick and tomatoes are concentrated into a jam texture, 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring often. Remove from heat; set aside to cool to room temperature. Transfer jam to an airtight container; refrigerate until serving. (Can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.)
For Shawarma Sauce: In a large bowl, add yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic, oregano and salt; stir to combine. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate until serving. (Can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.)
For Shawarma Seasoning: In a large skillet, add cumin, coriander and fennel; toast over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the seeds start to crackle, are fragrant, and wisps of smoke rise from the pan, about 3 minutes. Transfer spices to a large plate; cool. In a spice grinder or coffee mill, grind spices into a fine powder. Turn the mixture out into a medium bowl; stir in paprika, turmeric, curry, cayenne, allspice and salt.
In a large bowl, add sliced lamb; toss with 6 tablespoons spice mixture to evenly coat. (Store remaining spice blend in an airtight container in a cool, dry, dark place for up to 6 months.)
In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add one-third of the seasoned lamb; cook until lamb is warmed through. Transfer lamb to a large platter. Repeat twice with remaining oil and lamb.
Adjust oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions. Place the pita bread on 2 rimmed baking sheets; place in oven and warm at 300ºF. Remove from oven; spread Tomato Jam inside each pita, or if pita is very thin spread Tomato Jam on top. Divide the lamb between the pitas; top with shredded letters and a few tablespoons of Shawarma Sauce. Serve hot.
In a spice grinder or coffee mill, process fennel seeds until fine. In a small bowl, add ground fennel, salt and pepper. Add 2 tablespoons of oil; stir to combine. Evenly rub lamb with fennel-oil mixture; roll lamb, tie and set aside.
In a large heavy-bottomed oven-safe pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add roast; cook until browned on all sides, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer roast to a large plate. Wipe out pot; add remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add shallots, garlic, apples, carrots and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until apples soften and mixture begins to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Return lamb to pot; add wine, broth, rosemary and bay leaves. Increase heat to high; bring liquid to a boil. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Braise at 350ºF until a fork easily slides into the center and meat pulls apart with a fork, 3 to 3-1/2 hours, turning roast every 45 minutes.
Remove pot from oven; transfer lamb to a large platter, cover and set aside. Strain broth in the pot through a fine-mesh sieve. Discard vegetables and herbs. Wipe out pot; pour strained broth back in. Bring broth to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer until liquid is reduced to 1-1/2 cups, about 1 hour. Pour sauce into a fat separator; set aside to settle.
Remove twine from roast and discard; pull the lamb. Remove fat from sauce; pour sauce into serving dish and top with roast. Drizzle some sauce over the lamb, serving the rest on the side.
Chef suggestion: Serve with parsley gnocchi and a poached egg.