Lamb Shoulder Roast - Recipe

Brine

Ingredients

• 80gm Brown sugar
• 180gm Rock salt
• 3 litres Water
• 5 Garlic cloves
• 1 Tbs Peppercorns
• 1 sprig Rosemary
• 6 sprigs of Thyme
• 2 Bay leaves

1. Place all ingredients into a large pot and heat just until Rock salt has dissolved. Cool in the refrigerator.
2. In a large container place the lamb shoulder and brine. Brine the lamb for minimum of 12 hours but not more than 24.
3. Rinse Lamb shoulder of excess brine before braising.

Braise for Lamb Shoulder

Lamb can be braised up to 3 days before serving. Make sure you keep your braising liquid as this is now your master stock and can be used again. Pass through a sieve before refrigerating, remove hardened fat and store in the freezer. Bring to a boil before using again, you may need add more aromatics and water or wine.

Ingredients

• 1 Onion
• 2 Carrots
• 1 Garlic bulb, halved
• 2 Celery sticks
• 2 ltr Beef stock
• 2 ltr water
• 3 bay leaves
• Handful fresh Thyme
• Olive oil

 

Pre-heat oven to 120°C

1. Place lamb shoulder into a deep tray, large enough to hold the shoulder and braising liquid. Cut the vegetables in half and place alongside the shoulder with aromatics, wine, water and stock. Make sure the shoulder is covered by the liquid, add more water if not. Cover with baking paper then tightly seal with foil.
2. Braise for 12 hours.
3. Rest shoulder in the braising liquid for an hour.
Turn the oven up to 200°C
4. Drain off most of the liquid (make sure you keep this), leaving an inch or two in the bottom of the dish.
5. Rub lamb with olive oil and a good pinch of sea salt. Cook until skin is crispy and golden, 20-30 minutes.
6. If not serving the same day. Keep the lamb refrigerated in the braising liquid. Remove from fridge an hour before reheating.
7. Preheat oven on 160°C
8. Cover lamb in baking paper and foil then reheat for an hour or until lamb is hot all the way through.
9. Turn the oven up to 200°C
10. Remove paper and foil then brush lamb with olive oil and a good pinch of sea salt. Cook until skin is crispy and golden, 20-30 minutes.

Thyme and Pinot Jus

Ingredients: Makes 700ml (approximately)

• 2 tsp Olive oil
• 1 small Onion
• 1 Carrot
• 3 Garlic cloves
• 2 stalks of Celery
• 250ml Pinot noir
• Handful of fresh Thyme
• 1kg beef glaze - Foundation Food

1. Cut vegetables into similar sizes. Sauté in olive oil. Add Pinot and reduce until its almost all gone, then add Beef glaze and Thyme.
2. Gently simmer. Use a ladle to skim off any brown scum as it floats to the top. Reduce until it coats the back of a spoon 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool slightly and pass through a sieve.
3. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week or set in ice cube molds, freeze then place into a zip lock bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Cannellini bean purée

Ingredients

• 2 tins of Cannellini beans
• 10 cloves of Confit garlic
• 4 Tbs Water
• 3 Tbs Olive oil
• 1 lemon – juice
• Flaky sea salt

Smokey Green beans with Rosemary

Ingredients

• 600gm Green beans
• Olive oil
• 2 sprigs Rosemary
• Flaky sea salt
• Ice

1. Boil a large pot of salted water. Blanch beans for 1-2 minutes depending on the thickness of the beans. Then plunge into ice water. Remove from the ice bath and place on a tray. Using a tea towel pat them dry.
2. Heat a large wok or pan until it reaches smoking point. Working in batches add the beans, tossing/moving the beans often until they are slightly charred.
3. Strip the leaves from the rosemary stalk and add some to the pan with a splash of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. Cook for and 30 second and remove from the pan repeating the process.

Salsa Verde

Keep the parsley stalks to use in stocks or when braising.

• 30gm Italian Parsley leaves only - approximately 3 large handfuls
• 1 clove of Garlic crushed
• 5gm mint leaves
• 20gm capers - rinsed
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 5 Anchovy fillets
• 1 lemon - juice
• 80ml Olive oil
• Flaky sea salt

1. Place garlic and lemon juice in a small bowl together.
2. Put parsley, mint, capers and anchovies on a board.
Use a sharp knife to finely chop the ingredients and place into a bowl.
3. Add the garlic, lemon, Dijon and olive oil and mix.
4. Put aside for 30 minutes to let the flavors marinate. Check the seasoning adding sea salt if required.

 Heirloom Tomato and Watermelon salad

Serves 8-10 people

• 500gm Heirloom Tomatoes - assortment
• 500gm Watermelon
• Flaky sea salt
• Handful Basil leaves - small

Dressing 

• 2 Tbs Cabernet sauvignon vinegar
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 1 glove garlic – crushed
• 4 Tbs Olive oil
• Flaky sea salt

1. In a bowl place the vinegar, caster sugar and garlic, whisk together. Once sugar has dissolved add olive oil and a pinch of salt.
2. Cut tomatoes in half down the middle. Dice the watermelon into bite sized cubes, removing most the seeds.
3. Gently fold tomatoes, watermelon and a couple of tablespoons of dressing together. Taste and season add basil leaves before serving.
4. Serve remaining dressing in a ramekin on the side.