With lemon, garlic and herbs, this lamb shoulder will fill your kitchen with scent

During the long, slow cooking, the fat renders, the meat relaxes and the fragrance of herbs, lemon and garlic drift through the house.

Easter is a traditional time to eat lamb shoulder. Photo: Nikki To / TWAM

Some dishes belonging to certain times of the year are immune to fashion or change. Cooking lamb at Easter is one of them. A slow-cooked lamb shoulder has its own rhythm – patient, deliberate, unhurried. And when the Greeks do it, they just do it better. Sure, you could throw it straight into the oven to roast, but there’s a tradition and reverence in the Greek method.

Lamb kleftiko takes its name from the Greek word for “stolen”. During the Ottoman occupation, Greek rebels and bandits who lived off the land were known as the Klephts (from where we derive the word kleptomania), as they would steal lambs or goats and cook them in underground ovens. These earth ovens trapped the heat and smoke so the rebels could remain hidden while the slow heat transformed tough cuts into something tender.

To make lamb kleftiko, the meat is first bathed in olive oil, lemon, garlic, oregano, rosemary and olives, then left to sit, to absorb the quiet promise of what’s to come. During the long, slow cooking, the fat renders, the meat relaxes and the fragrance of herbs, lemon and garlic drift through the house. When ready, there is no need for carving – the shoulder yields at the suggestion of a fork, falling to soft, glistening pieces. Slow-cooked lamb shoulder is a simple showstopper of a dish that invites people to gather round and savour.

Try too my chocolate mousse, perfect for Easter entertaining.

Greek style lamb shoulder. Recipe by Lennox Hastie. Photo: Nikki To / TWAM

The essence of Greek cooking is in the flavour base, including herbs and olives

Greek-style slow-cooked lamb shoulder

Ingredients

• 1 whole lamb shoulder (about 2-2.5kg)
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• Cracked black pepper
• Tablespoon of dried oregano (preferably Greek!)
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges, pips removed
• 12 green olives, pitted and halved
• 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
• 6 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 1 large onion, cut into eighths
• 3 bay leaves
• Olive oil
• 1.5kg waxy potatoes like Dutch cream, washed and cut into wedges
• Handful of fresh parsley and oregano

Method

1. Using a mortar and pestle, crush the dried oregano, fennel seeds, salt and pepper into a fragrant rub. Lay a large sheet of baking paper on a clean surface. Scatter half the lemon wedges, olives, onion and garlic over it.
2. Rub the lamb all over with the spice mixture and place it on top. Scatter the remaining lemon, olives, 4 sprigs of rosemary and garlic over the lamb, add the bay leaves then drizzle with olive oil.
3. Cover with another sheet of baking paper and wrap tightly, ensuring no juices can escape. Wrap the parcel tightly with a sheet of aluminium foil. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours to marinate. Remove the lamb from the fridge about an hour before cooking to let it come to room temperature.
4. Preheat the oven to 160C. Place the wrapped parcel in a baking dish and place in the oven; cook for 4 hours, until the meat is meltingly tender.
5. About 1 hour before the lamb is done, parboil the potatoes in salted water for 10 minutes until just tender. Drain well, then toss with a little olive oil, sea salt, and a few sprigs of rosemary. After 4 hours of slow cooking, allow the lamb to rest for at least 30-40 minutes.
6. Then carefully unwrap the lamb and discard the baking paper. Return the lamb to the baking dish. Increase the oven to 220C (or preheat the grill to high). Arrange the potatoes around the lamb in the baking dish.
7. Drizzle both with a little more olive oil and return to the oven or place under the grill for 15-20 minutes, until the lamb develops a deep golden crust and the potatoes turn crispy at the edges. Finish with fresh herbs and a sprinkling of sea salt. Serves 6-8