Preparation 20 minutes l Cooking 3.5 hours (serves 2-4)
Ingredients
Shoulder of Lamb
1 lamb shoulder, bone in (approx. 1.2-1.4kg)
2 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp coriander seeds
Chermoula
1 bunch of coriander leaves 1 handful parsley
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 tbsp smoked paprika 2 tsp grated fresh ginger 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
2 bay leaves
2 carrots, chopped
1 litre of lamb or vegetable stock Pomegranate seeds to serve
Saffron threads
1/2 tsp coriander seeds, toasted in a
hot pan
3 tsp extra virgin olive oil 1 lemon, juiced
1 tsp sea salt
Method
- Shoulder of lamb: Brown the lamb in a hot pan with extra virgin olive oil, garlic and coriander seeds. Place in a casserole dish on top of chopped carrots and cover with stock, bay leaves, coriander seeds and garlic from the pan.
- Cover the pan with a lid or double foil. Cook at 160C for 3.5 hours.
- Chermoula: To make the chermoula, blend or use a pestle and mortar to combine ingredients together into a thick sauce.
- Spoon the chermoula over the lamb shoulder and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds to finish. Serve alongside a fattoush salad.
Cooking tips
• Shoulder and leg are both great cuts of lamb for this slow-cooked method.
• Let the lamb shoulder rest covered with a lid or foil so it does not steam dry.
• Strain the juices from the pan after the lamb is cooked and reduce down on the stovetop to use as a sauce.
• For a simpler and faster alternative to chermoula, use hummus or Greek yoghurt.
• Combine the leftover roast lamb (if you have any) with chermoula, hummus or Greek yoghurt and add it to Lebanese bread or pita with sliced tomatoes, shaved onion and lettuce for quick and easy wraps.
• Mint, fennel, fresh herbs, yoghurt, Middle Eastern spices, pomegranate, lemon, oregano and garlic all make great flavour partners for lamb.