Braised Shoulder of Lamb

Ingredients

  • 1 tblsp Olive Oil
  • 1.30 kg lamb shoulder (trimmed, boned and tied and stuffed with pine nuts, lemon zest and parsley)
  • 3 large garlic cloves
  • 2 rosemary sprigs
  • 100 g smoked pancetta (diced, 1-1½cm)
  • 1 onion (finely diced)
  • 3 carrots (finely diced)
  • 3 celery sticks (finely sliced)
  • 1 leek (finely sliced)
  • 150 ml red wine
  • 300 ml lamb stock
  • 400 g can chopped tomatoes
  • 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 400 g cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)
  • salt and ground black pepper
  • potatoes or warm crusty bread to serve

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and brown the lamb on all sides. Remove from the pan and leave to stand until it is cool enough to handle.
  2. Meanwhile, cut the garlic cloves into quarters. When the lamb is cool enough, make 12 deep incisions all over the meat. Push a piece of garlic and a small piece of rosemary into each incision.
  3. Add the onion and pancetta to the saucepan and sauté for about 5 minutes. Then add the carrot, celery and leek to the pan and cook for about 10 minutes until soft, then transfer to a large casserole cooking pot. Stir the red wine into the cooking pot.
  4. Add the stock and chopped tomatoes to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Add the thyme and bay leaves, submerging them in the liquid. Place the lamb on top, cover with the lid and simmer on a low heat for 90 minutes. Using a meat fork or tongs, turn the lamb halfway through.
  5. Stir the beans into the vegetable mixture and warm through, or until the lamb is cooked and tender.
  6. Remove the lamb from the cooking pot using slotted spoons, cover with foil to keep warm and leave to rest for 10 minutes.
  7. Remove the string from the lamb and carve the meat into thick slices. Remove the thyme and bay leaves from the vegetable and bean mixture and carefully skim off any fat from the surface.
  8. Spoon the vegetables on to warmed serving plates and arrange the sliced lamb on top.