Slow-roasted lamb

Fennel, sage, onion & merguez stuffing

SERVES 12 WITH LEFTOVER MEAT

Boning, stuffing and rolling the lamb means the flavourful filling infiltrates the meat as it cooks and vice versa. By stuffing the shoulder, you’re able to stretch the meat even further, and by removing the bones, the lamb is easier to carve – it’s a one-slice wonder! olive oil

5 merguez sausages (250g total)

1 bunch of sage (20g)

2 small bulbs of fennel

2 red onions

250ml white wine

250g sourdough bread

3kg lamb shoulder, bone in (see tip right) 1 bulb of garlic

2 heaped tablespoons plain flour 1 tablespoon blackberry or blackcurrant jam

Get ahead

For the stuffing, put a high-sided roasting tray (25cm x 30cm) on a medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Squeeze the sausage meat out of the skins straight into the pan, breaking it up with the back of a spoon. Let the sausage start to crisp up, stirring occasionally, then tear in the sage leaves. Trim the fennel, peel the onions, then roughly chop both, add to the tray, and cook on a medium heat for 20 minutes, or until soft and caramelized, stirring occasionally. Pour in the wine and let it completely cook away, then season to perfection, tasting and tweaking. Chop the bread into 2cm chunks and stir in, then turn the heat off and leave to cool completely.

Lay out the lamb on a clean work surface. Scrunch and spread the cold stuffing all over the meat, then roll it up, sealing the filling inside (if any falls out, just poke it back in at the ends once tied up). Cut yourself eight 60cm lengths of string, slide them underneath the lamb at regular intervals, then tie them up at the top. Wipe out the tray, chuck in the lamb bones, break apart and add the unpeeled garlic bulb, then sit the lamb on top. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

ASK YOUR BUTCHER

To debone the lamb, then slice into it so you can open it out like a book. Get them to break up the bones, too – epic gravy, incoming!

On the day

Preheat the oven to full whack (240°C). Get the lamb tray out of the fridge, rub the meat with a little olive oil, place in the oven, and turn the temperature down to 150°C. Roast for 4 hours, or until tender, basting every hour with the tray juices and adding a splash of water each time. Remove from the oven and transfer the lamb to a serving platter. Cover with tin foil and a clean tea towel, and leave to rest for 1 hour.

Use a spoon to skim the fat off the tray of bones (save it in a jar for tasty cooking another day). Put the tray over a medium heat on the hob and stir in the flour, jam and a swig of red wine vinegar, scraping up all the sticky bits from the base of the tray. Cook for a couple of minutes, then pour in 1.2 litres of water. Let it simmer on a low heat to the consistency of your liking, stirring occasionally. Pass the gravy through a sieve into a pan and season to perfection, tasting and tweaking. Simmer on the lowest heat until needed.

TO SERVE

Uncover the lamb, spooning any resting juices into the gravy. Cut away the string, then spoon over the Green sauce (overleaf). Take it to the table, ready to carve in front of your guests.

ENERGY 458kcal FAT 28.5g SAT FAT 12.5g PROTEIN 30g CARBS 17.4g SUGARS 1.3g SALT 0.7g FIBRE 1g