- Preheat your oven to full. Score the fat side of the lamb shoulder with a sharp knife. Put half the rosemary and garlic into a high sided roasting tray. Rub the lamb all over with olive oil and season well. Place it on top of the rosemary and garlic in the tray and then put the remaining garlic and rosemary on top.
- Tightly cover the tray with tin foil and place in the oven. Immediately turn the heat down to 170C/Gas 3/325F and cook for 4 hours.
- Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut into nice roasting chunks. Place them in a pan of cold salted water and bring to the boil. Boil for 7 minutes then drain and toss in a colander to slightly fluff them up. Put to one side until ready to roast. (they will take just 45 minutes)
- When the lamb has been in for 3 hours 30 minutes, take an oven tray and put the duck fat onto the tray and put it in the oven to melt and heat through. After no more than 5 minutes, remove from the oven and add the potatoes. Make sure each potato is coated with the hot duck fat and season well. Place in the oven to roast for 25 minutes. After that time, take them out and turn each potatoes to ensure good colour crispness. Place them back in the oven for the last 20 minutes when they should be ready.
- Meanwhile, when the lamb has been in the oven for 4 hours, remove, cover with foil and then a tea towel and leave it to rest whilst you make the braised lettuces and the sauce.
- To prepare the lettuces, remove the outer leaves and cut each lettuce in half length ways keeping the stalk intact. Heat the butter in a frying pan and fry the onion softly for 5 minutes. Then add the lettuce halves, cut side up first for 1 minute and then flip them over. Pour over the stock and season. Put a lid on and cook for 10 minutes. Lift out the lettuces and raise the heat in the pan to reduce the stock by half. Add a dash of cream, return the lettuces to the pan. They are ready to serve.
- To make the sauce, pour away most of the fat from the meat roasting tray. Put the tray on the hob and mix in the flour. Add the stock and scrape up all the gooeyness from the base of the tray. Add the chopped capers and turn down to a simmer for a couple of minutes. Finally, add the chopped mint and vinegar and stir through. Pour into a jug ready to serve.
- Serve the lamb shredded away from the bone with all the sides and a good glug of sauce.
Lamb recipe from Jamie Oliver – Jamie At Home