Woodfired Lamb Shoulder
Ingredients
3 brown onions
3 carrots
1/4 bunch celery
Vegetable oil
1 x 2.5 kg lamb shoulder
1/2 bulb garlic,
Cloves halved
1 bay leaf
500 g carrots, peeled
1/2 bunch mint, leaves picked
Salt & pepper
Labneh:
500 g Greek yoghurt
1/4 Tbs salt
Spiced Honey:
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp sesame seeds
1 tsp dried ancho chilli
1 cup honey
25 g fresh ginger, grated
30 mL fresh orange juice
Chef's note: Eat at Sandy's finish their lamb in a woodfire oven to impart a rich smoky flavour. If you don't have a woodfire oven, use a conventional oven.
Method
Lamb:
Roughly chop the unpeeled carrots, onions and celery. Place some vegetable oil in a large heavy-based pot over a high heat. Season the lamb shoulder and seal the meat on all sides until golden.
Remove the lamb from the pot, add the vegetables and garlic and fry until lightly-coloured and beginning to soften. Place the lamb back in the pot, add the bay leaf and cover with water. Place a sheet of greaseproof paper on the surface of the liquid and cover the pot with a lid. Place in an oven at 110°C and braise for 12-14 hours, or overnight.
While the lamb is braising, make the labneh.
Labneh:
In a bowl, combine the salt and yoghurt. Line a colander with muslin cloth and place the colander into a large bowl. Pour the yoghurt into the colander, cover with another layer of cloth and refrigerate overnight. The salt will draw the moisture away from the yoghurt, turning it into labneh.
Spiced Carrots:
Preheat an oven to 200°C. Halve the peeled carrots lengthways, place in a pot of cold water and bring to a boil. Drain, then toss in vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread on a lined baking tray and roast for 30 minutes, or until caramelised.
To finish the lamb – carefully remove the meat from the pot and place onto a roasting tray. Pour over some braising liquid, then roast the lamb at 200°C for 15 minutes, or until a crisp crust has formed.
Spiced Honey:
Dry roast the spices in a non-stick pan over a low heat. In a mortar and pestle, grind to a fine powder, then combine with the remaining ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat to allow the spices to infuse as the mixture cools.
To serve – place the roasted carrots onto a serving platter and drizzle with the honey. Top with spoonfuls of labneh and a scattering of mint leaves. Serve alongside the roasted lamb shoulder.
