Ingredients

Serves 4 -6

• 1 lamb shoulder
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 onions, thickly sliced
• 1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
• 1 glass white wine
• 500 ml (16 fl oz) chicken stock
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Preparation method

Heat oven to 220 C (450 F) Gas 7

Cooking instructions

Rub lamb with salt and pepper. Put oil in a high-sided roasting tin or heavy pot big enough to take the lamb. Add onion and garlic and cook over gentle heat until soft and golden, 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat. Lay rosemary sprigs in tin or pot and place lamb on top. Pour in wine and stock. Cover tin or pot with a piece of foil and place in oven. Immediately reduce oven temperature to 150 C (300 F) Gas 2 and leave to bake for 3 hours. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes and steamed, buttered carrots.

Cook's note

Lamb shoulder has superb flavour and slow baking delivers meltingly tender meat that falls off the bone. A great recipe to use for mutton as well as lamb.