Slow-roasted mint & juniper lamb shoulder with red wine jus
Looking for a dish to take your time over?
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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Remove meat from the bone and pull into shreds. Arrange meat and vegetables on a platter. Serve with jus.
