It’s lamb with a plan

AGLANCE AT the weather forecast would suggest that the barbecue season is on its way out. But who said that men can cook only when charcoal and firelighters are involved?

lot of males confine their macho cooking activity to searing steaks on a grill in the garden, yet there are indoor alternatives to burned meat. And if you are just starting out in cookery, here is the ideal recipe, involving zero skill but enormous power to impress.

Pre-heat your oven to 150 degrees/ gas 3. Then take a shoulder of lamb, place in a large roasting tin and slap it a few times (looks masculine and the meat makes a satisfying sound).

Pour over a couple of teaspoons of cumin and the same amount of salt and pepper. Massage vigorously. Pour a glass of water in the bottom of the baking tray, cover the tray as tightly as possible with cooking foil and place in the oven for three hours.

This will allow you plenty of time to cut down trees, complete a triathlon or finally sort out those bedroom shelves you’ve long delayed putting up.

Now back to the kitchen. And the good news is that even if you’ve left the lamb on for an extra half-hour or so, nothing terrible will have happened.

Simply open the oven, take out the lamb, remove the foil, turn the dial up to 180 degrees/gas 4 and replace for a further hour — just enough time to mow the lawn or build a conservatory (OK that’s a tad ambitious).

Then your job is to remove the beautifully cooked meat and place it on to a board. Take two forks and shred the meat away from the bone. Heat up some tortilla wraps (there will be instructions on the packet) and serve the lamb in the wraps with tahina, the hottest chilli sauce your tastebuds can handle, plus a chopped cucumber and tomato salad which you should be able to persuade someone else to make for you.

Consume your wraps with a lager of choice. And because you slaved so hard over the cooking, you can nominate another family member to do the washing up while you stretch out on the sofa for a manly schluff.

Because you slaved so hard, you can nominate another family member to do the washing up