Pressed lamb shoulder with sunflower seeds and capers | Recipe of the week
The butchers at Stansted Farm Shop warned me prices for lamb have increased so here is a recipe using the shoulder.
This cut is slightly cheaper and gives great flavour when cooked slowly.
Ingredients – serves six-eight
One lamb shoulder on the bone; rosemary sprig; two bay leaves; 500ml chicken stock; 150ml white wine; six garlic cloves; one large onion, thickly sliced; two carrots, cut into 3cm pieces
Topping: one onion, finely chopped; four garlic cloves, finely chopped; tablespoon small capers; four tablespoons sunflower seeds
Method
1. Put the carrots, onion and garlic into a large ovenproof dish with the rosemary and bay leaves.
2. Place the shoulder of lamb on top and pour over the white wine and stock. Add 100ml of water and slowly bring up to a simmer.
3. Cover and cook at 150C, gas three, for six hours.
4. Allow to cool before straining all the liquid into a container and put into a fridge. Discard the vegetables. Pull the meat off the bones but keep it in chunks.
5. Lay the meat on to a clingfilm-lined tray, about 3cm deep. Cover with clingfilm and put another tray on top to press the lamb.
6. Put in the fridge overnight to set.
7. When you are ready, get stock from the fridge and remove the fat that has set on top. Heat stock in a saucepan and reduce by half.
8. Cook the onions and garlic in butter until soft and add the capers and sunflower seeds – season.
9. Cut the lamb into portions, top with the seed mixture and lay in a tray. Carefully pour the reduced stock around the meat and cook at 180C, gas four, for 25 minutes.
10. Serve with potatoes, vegetables and the sauce.