It turns out that a whole lamb shoulder fits snugly in a 30 cm Le Creuset buffet casserole. That’s already a plus, as none of my other pots could hold one.

I decided that a French approach to a lamb dish was an apt way to go.

Ingredients

1 lamb shoulder

1 onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 carrot, diced

1 stick celery, sliced

3 Tbs olive oil

2 Tbs lemon juice

4 rosemary sprigs

1 star anise

4 orange leaves

200 g black olives

100 g olive brine

1 glass dry white wine

250 ml beef or lamb stock

1 Tbs flour

Handful parsley, chopped

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Method

Preheat the oven to 180℃.

On the hob, brown the lamb shoulder on all sides in the casserole, and set aside. Sauté the onion, garlic, carrots and celery in olive oil in the casserole until soft. Sprinkle the flour over and braise, stirring, for a few minutes.

Add the lemon juice, star anise, rosemary, orange leaves, olive brine, white wine and stock. (Reserve the olives.) Season with salt and pepper and stir.

Lay the browned lamb shoulder on top. Salt the top of the lamb. Put the lid on and put it in the oven. After 20 minutes, turn the temperature down to 160℃. Cook for 3 hours or until the meat is fall-apart tender.

After two hours, add the olives, cover and continue cooking.

This recipe makes its own gravy. Scoop off any excess fat before serving, and sprinkle chopped parsley over. DM/TGIFood

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