Caramelised, slow-cooked lamb with green vegetables Recipe

Caramelised, slow-cooked lamb with green vegetables Recipe

  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes
  • ½ tbsp garam masala
  • ½ tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 lamb shoulder on the bone (about 1.8kg/4lb)
  • 2 bulbs garlic, split into cloves
  • 2 onions, quartered
  • 20g/¾oz fresh rosemary
  • 25g/1oz light brown sugar
  • 200ml/7fl oz sunflower oil
  • 50ml/2fl oz white wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 heads Little Gem lettuce
  • 50g/1¾oz baby spinach
  • 200g/7oz trimmed fine green beans, trimmed
  • 200g/7oz mangetout
  • 50g/1¾oz watercress
  1. Mix all the spices together and rub all over the lamb. Marinate in the fridge overnight so the lamb takes on all the flavour of the spices.
  2. The next day, take the lamb out of the fridge and allow to return to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/ Gas 4.
  3. Put the garlic, onions and rosemary in a roasting tin. Place the lamb on top and roast for 2-2½ hours.
  4. When the meat is cooked through and very tender, remove from the oven, cover with aluminium foil and leave to rest for 10-15 minutes.
  5. For the vegetables, whisk together the sunflower oil, vinegar and mustard to create a vinaigrette.
  6. Separate the leaves of the Little Gem lettuce and put in a bowl with the baby spinach.
  7. Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the green beans. After 2 minutes add the mangetout and boil for a further minute.
  8. Drain the vegetables and immediately add to the bowl containing the spinach and lettuce. Add the watercress and toss gently in the vinaigrette just before serving.
  9. Once the meat is rested, sprinkle the fat side of the lamb with the brown sugar and, using a chef’s blow torch (or under a very hot grill), caramelise the sugar and the fat.
  10. Serve the lamb with the vegetables.