Served with with Candied Swede, Boulangere Potatoes and Bordelaise. This recipe will work equally well with pork shoulder, venison haunch or beef rump.
Ingredients
- 1 lamb shoulder (boned rolled and tied-your butcher will do this for you)
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- 1/4 cup of chopped thyme
- 5-6 litres chicken stock (6 litres of boiling water with 2 erin chicken stock cubes dissolved in it if you don't have access to fresh chicken stock)
- 1/2 bottle of red wine (merlot or shiraz would be ideal)
- 1 parsnip
- 1 carrot
- 1 large onion
- salt and pepper to taste
- for the boulangere:
- 6-7 potatoes (sliced)
- 1 large onion (sliced)
- 1 sprig rosemary (chopped finely)
- 4 sprigs of thyme (chopped finely)
- 1 l chicken stock (reserved from the lamb ingredients)
- 2 knobs of butter
- for the candied swede:
- 1/2 turnip (diced or cut into 3" rounds with a pastry cutter)
- 4 tsp honey
- 3-4 small slices of butter
- for the bordelaise:
- approx 12 pearl onions peeled or 1 large white onion (chopped finely)
- 1 cup red wine
- the strained cooking liquor from the lamb
- 1/2 cup chopped flat parsley
Method
- Heat two heavy based frying pans. Season the lamb all over and the carrot, onion and parsnip.
- Sear the lamb all over to seal in the juices, lightly colour the vegetables. Sprinkle on the herbs.
- Place the vegetables onto a deep roasting tray and top with the lamb.
- Deglaze the two pans with the red wine and pour over the lamb.
- Now add the chicken stock reserving 1 1/2 litres for the boulangere
- Cover and cook on a low heat for approx 4-5 hours at 120 degrees or until the meat is very soft to touch and is breaking away easily when touched with a fork.
- For the Boulangere:
- Grease a casserole dish with the butter.
- Line with a layer of potatoes.
- Top with onion then some thyme and rosemary.
- Repeat finishing with a layer of potatoes and a little herbs.
- Add stock until you've almost reached the top of the potatoes.
- Place into an oven covered in tinfoil at 160 for approx 45 minutes.
- Remove the foil for the last 10 minutes and raise the temp to 180 to lightly brown and crust the top.
- For the Swede:
- Place your cut up swede on a baking sheet or casserole dish.
- Drizzle with honey and season with a little salt.
- Top with butter.
- Bake at 160 for 45 minutes turning halfway through.
- Serve.
- For the Bordelaise:
- Sauté the pearl onions.
- Add the red wine and reduce.
- Add 2 cups of the cooking liquor from the lamb and reduce until it’s at desired consistency
- Finish with chopped parsley.
- Classically Bordelaise would have bone marrow as an ingredient but it’s not necessary. It's a very aquired taste and would be served with steak or beef but works equally well with lamb
Notes
Gary's tip: Recipe will work equally well with pork shoulder, venison haunch or beef rump.
