(Serves 8)

1,8 kg  lamb shoulder (bone-in)

150 ml lamb stock

60 ml   Leopards Leap Classic Cabernet Sauvignon

2          onions

15 ml   olive oil

80 g     pitted Kalamata olives

SPICE PASTE

15 ml   olive oil

5 ml     paprika

15 ml   dried oregano

4          garlic cloves

5 ml     sea salt

            Zest 2 lemons

45 ml   lemon juice

GREMOLATA

80 ml   lightly chopped mint

            zest of 2 lemons

60 ml chopped parsley

2          garlic cloves, finely chopped

15 ml   olive oil

            Sea salt

10 ml   lemon juice

METHOD:

·       TO MAKE THE SPICE PASTE: Combine all the ingredients for the spice paste and blend well to make a paste.  You can also use a pestle and mortar.

·       Rub it into the lamb several hours before cooking, cover and chill.

·       Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before roasting to get to room temperature.

·       Preheat the oven to 150°C

·       TO SLOW-ROAST THE LAMB: Brush a large, deep roasting pan with the 15 ml olive oil, then thickly slice the onions into rounds and lay the slices flat in the middle of the pan.

·       Lightly score three long, diagonal incisions across the top of the lamb and place it in the pan on top of the onion slices.

·       Pour the stock and wine around the lamb and cover the tray with one or two very large pieces of foil OR a lid, creating enough space over the lamb so that the foil or lid doesn’t stick to the meat.

·       Slow-roast the lamb for 3 hours, basting every hour.

·       Remove the foil, turn up the temperature to 180°C and add the pitted Kalamata olives and roast open for another 30 minutes.

·       The meat should be almost falling off the bone. Take the pan out of the oven and spoon over the basting juices one final time, but do not put it back into the oven. Cover the pan for 10 minutes to let the lamb rest and soak up the juices while you make the GREMOLATA.

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