Slow-cooked confit onions and herb lamb shoulder

This very typically French recipe takes minutes to prepare and then just does its thing. When you open it up you’ll find melting, tender lamb and sweet, caramelised onions. It will also wait patiently for you to finish your Seder without drying out.

Serves: 8 Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 4 – 5 hours

INGREDIENTS

2kg lamb shoulder 1 whole garlic head plus 6 cloves cut in small pieces 3 x echalion/banana shallots sliced

6 x small round shallots peeled and left whole 3 bay leaves

3 rosemary stalks

2 curly parsley stalks 2 thyme stalks

6 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

Heat your oven to 175°C (fan) and line a large oven dish, with two very large pieces of foil perpendicular to one another so that they cover the dish and will also cover the whole lamb shoulder. Line the base of the foil with baking parchment.

Place the lamb shoulder, sliced and whole shallots and top with the herbs. Add the olive oil, salt and pepper and pour 200ml water into the tray.

Cover the lamb with a sheet of baking paper to stop it sticking to the foil, then fold up the excess foil so it’s completely sealed with no room for steam to escape.

for 4 - 5 hours — it will be ready when tender and coming away from the bone easily. Start checking after 4 hours but remember to rewrap it well if you need to cook it longer. Once done keep it covered until ready to serve.

To get ahead, you can make in advance then cool and refrigerate/ freeze it. If you do this, defrost and bring it back to room temperature before reheating (covered) with foil for 30 mins at 175°C.

Serve with roast potatoes or sweet potatoes and a crisp, green salad.