Braised Lamb Shoulder

d’Arry’s Verandah Restaurant

serves 10

• 60ml olive oil
• 1 litre meat glaze (gravy)
• 4 medium onions, chopped
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 3 medium parsnips, chopped
• 2 sprigs of parsley
• 1 celeriac bulb, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 12 juniper berries, crushed
• 1 tin peeled tomatoes, chopped
• Zest of 1 orange
• 5kg boneless lamb shoulder
• 20 lamb cutlets
• Ground pepper and sea salt
• 1 glass of red wine

Gremolata

• Zest of 2 lemons, grated
• Zest of 2 oranges, grated
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• ½ bunch of parsley, chopped

Parsnip Mash

• 6 large parsnips, peeled and chopped
• Butter, Salt and pepper to taste

Lamb shoulder: Heat the oil in a heavy based pan and seal the shoulder. Remove the meat from the pan and add the onion, parsnip, celeriac and garlic. Once the vegetables have softened, add the wine and reduce by half stir in the glaze and add the tomatoes, spices, zest, pepper and salt to taste. Bring to the simmer, then place a lid on top Place the pan in the lower third of the oven at 170°C for about three hours or until the meat starts to fall off the bone. Remove the shoulder and reduce the sauce.

Gremolata: Simply mix all the ingredients together and you’re done!. Gremolata is best as soon as it’s made, the fresher the better.

Parsnip Mash: Boil parsnips until sof, drain and mash with as much butter as you want, and season to taste.

BBQ or grill the lamb cutlets to desired doneness. Carve the shoulder into 10 even portions and place on plates with the parsnip mash on the side, and then tip the sauce over the lamb. Sit the cutlets next to the lamb and sprinkle the gremolata over the top.