Slow-roasted mint & juniper lamb shoulder with red wine jus Recipe

Cath Muscat

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Ingredients

⅓ cup olive oil

Sea salt & cracked black pepper

2 x 1.5kg lamb shoulders with shank

1L reduced-salt beef or veal stock

1L water

1½ cups red wine

¼ cup mint, chopped

1 tbsp juniper berries, chopped

1.6kg gourmet roasting potatoes, cut into large pieces (see tip, below)

1 bunch spring onions, trimmed

4 small parsnips

1 tbsp plain flour

Tip: Find gourmet roasting potatoes at farmers’ markets – look for Tassie pink eye, sapphire, charlotte, burgundy beauty, cranberry red, otway red and lustre potatoes. Our potatoes are from Highland Gourmet Potatoes, Wildes Meadow, NSW.

Method

Preheat oven to 150°C. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Season lightly then brown lamb for 5 minutes on each side. Transfer to a large roasting pan. Pour over stock, 3 cups of water and 1 cup of wine.
Press mint and berries on top of lamb. Cover entire pan with foil. Roast for 3½ hours, basting twice. Remove foil and roast for a further 30-45 minutes or until meat is falling off bone when pulled.
Put potatoes in a separate roasting pan and toss with 2 tbsp of oil. Season with salt. Roast for 1 hour 15 minutes or until golden and tender (see note).

Note: Roast vegetables towards the end of the lamb’s cooking and resting time to ensure they are served hot.
Meanwhile, put parsnips and onions in another small roasting pan and toss with 1 tbsp of oil. Roast for 45-50 minutes until lightly golden.
Transfer lamb to a tray and cover with foil to rest for 20 minutes. Strain pan juices into a jug through a sieve. Spoon as much visible fat off the top as possible. Combine flour with a small amount of the remaining 1 cup of water to form a paste. Stir in remaining water and wine.
To make jus; pour pan juices into a saucepan with flour mixture. Bring to the boil, whisking often. Boil for 10-12 minutes or until thickened slightly. Add extra water for a milder flavour or thinner jus.
Remove meat from the bone and pull into shreds. Arrange meat and vegetables on a platter. Serve with jus.

Kerrie Worner

With over 20 years in magazines, Kerrie’s work has adorned HB’s pages as contributing food editor, along with BHG, Elle Cuisine, Australian Women’s Weekly and Family Circle. “It is so important to encourage people to learn simple food skills so they can learn how easy it is to fall in love with their creative side,” she says.