Slow cooked lamb shoulder with mint and cumin

This is a feast of a meal, served with something like butterbeans gently mashed with the cooking juices from the lamb green salad.

Good

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Place the lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, spices, herbs and oil in the small bowl of a food processor with 1/2 teaspoons of salt and plenty of pepper. Blitz to form a rough paste and set aside

Step 2

Place the lamb in a large bowl and skewer the meat all over about 30 times with a small sharp knife. Rub the spice paste all over the meat, massaging it into the incisions. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight, ideally) for the flavours to develop

Step 3

Preheat the oven to 170°C fan.

Step 4

Transfer the lamb, along with althe spice paste, into a large high-sided baking dish, about 30 x 40cm. Pour 500ml of water into the base of the dish and then cover the tray tightly with the foil. Roast for hour. Reduce the temperature to 160°C fan, and add the celeriac, carrots and garlic heads (cut side up) to the tray. Continue to roast for 5 hours, basting the meat and vegetables three or four times during cooking (and re-sealing the tray with foil each time). Remnove the foil and return for a final 30 minutes, until the lamb is browned all over, the meat is falling apart and the vegetables are caramelised.