Spiced Lamb Shoulder with Pomegranate & Mint

• 1.8 kgbone-in lamb shoulder
• 300 mllamb stock
• 2 tspground cumin
• 1 tspcinnamon
• 1 tspsmoked paprika
• 6cloves garlic, sliced into slivers
• 3 tbspolive oil
• 2 tspground coriander
• 1 tspallspice
• 4 tbsppomegranate molasses
• 150 gpomegranate seeds
• 15 gmint leaves, torn
• Fine salt, to taste
• 6flatbreads, about 60 g each, optional (optional)
• 100 gtomato, chopped, for an optional salad (optional)
• 200 gfull-fat Greek yoghurt (optional)
• 100 gcucumber, chopped, for the optional salad (optional)
• 100 glittle gem lettuce, shredded, for the optional salad (optional)
• 1 tbspolive oil, for the optional salad (optional)
• 1 tbsplemon juice, for the optional salad (optional)
• Black pepper, to taste

Method

1. 1Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a small pan over a medium heat and tip in the cumin, coriander, cinnamon, allspice and smoked paprika. Fry for 30–60 seconds until the kitchen smells warm and toasted. Pull off the heat the moment they're fragrant.
2. 2Tip the toasted spices into a bowl with the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil and a very generous pinch of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Stir to a thick paste; season the lamb properly here.
3. 3Pat the lamb dry. Make small incisions over the shoulder with the tip of a knife and push in the garlic slivers. Rub the spice paste over the meat.
4. 4Heat the oven to 160°C/fan 140°C. Sit the lamb in a large roasting tin, pour the stock around it (not over; you want the spice crust intact), drizzle over half the pomegranate molasses and cover the tin tightly with foil so no steam escapes.
5. 5Slow-roast for 3½–4 hours. The tell: the meat should pull away from the bone with barely a nudge from a fork, and a skewer should slide through the thickest part with no resistance. If it's still tight, give it another 30 minutes; collagen takes the time it takes.
6. 6Remove the foil and turn the oven up to 200°C/fan 180°C. Brush the lamb with the remaining pomegranate molasses and return to the oven, uncovered, for 20 minutes until deeply burnished, sticky and caramelised at the edges. Watch the last 5 minutes; molasses goes from glossy to scorched quickly.
7. 7Lift the lamb onto a warm board and rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, taste the pan juices and adjust; a pinch more salt, another grind of pepper.
8. 8Pull the meat from the bone with two forks and spoon over some pan juices. Scatter with pomegranate seeds and torn mint. If making the optional salad, toss its vegetables with the olive oil and lemon juice. Serve with any optional warmed flatbreads, salad and yoghurt.

Per serving

kcal

702

protein

43.9g

fibre

2.3g

carbs

17.4g

fat

51.5g