Slow-roasted shoulder of lamb with peas and broad beans

Serves 4 Starters and mains

Advertisement

Method

Preheat the oven to 220°C/430°F/ Gas 7. Using a small, sharp knife, make little slits about 5mm deep into the lamb shoulder, about 5cm apart. Put a sliver of garlic (reserving some for the peas and beans) and a couple of rosemary leaves into each slit and season well with salt and pepper. Put the rest of the garlic to one side.

Put the lamb in a flameproof roasting tin, cover with foil and put in the oven for 40 minutes, then remove the foil, turn the oven down to 200°C/390°F/Gas 6 and cook for a further 2-3 hours, adding a slosh of wine every now and again. How long depends on the size of your shoulder, so check after 1 hour of cooking. About 20 minutes before you take the lamb out, pour a final generous glass of wine into the bottom of the roasting tin. Transfer the lamb to a warm dish, cover with a sheet of silver foil and let it rest for 20 minutes.

While the lamb is cooking, pod the peas and broad beans and put in separate bowls. Put a pan of water on to boil with a pinch of salt and blanch the peas for 5 minutes, then drain. Blanch the broad beans in a separate pan of boiling, unsalted water for 4-5 minutes, then drain.

Heat a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a pan and add the reserved garlic slivers. As they become sticky and start to colour, add the broad beans and peas and toss together, then season with salt and pepper. Add a whole sprig of fresh mint, which you can remove when you are ready to serve, as it blackens with the heat from the beans and peas.

Skim off any fat from the juices in the roasting tin and add more wine, if needed. Put on the hob and let it bubble and reduce, then pour into a bowl or small pan to keep it hot.

Pull the meat away from the bone in pieces and serve with the peas and broad beans and the juices from the pan.