Slow-roasted lamb shoulder makes for a tasty spring feast

I have Domini Kemp to thank for this recipe. I always saw shoulder of lamb as more of a cut that would be used to make a stew or a curry, cooked low and slow in a sauce. But one of Kemp's recipes suggested slow-roasting the entire joint as you would a leg, bathed in wine, herbs and spices. I've been doing that ever since and it always results in clean plates.

I ask my butcher to bone and roll a lamb shoulder for me, then I marinade it for a few hours before cooking low and slow and then blasting it with some high heat so the fat crisps up. It’s so delicious.

The boned and rolled piece of lamb was less than €6 and easily fed us all: two adults and three kids. I went with a slightly Greek theme and served the lamb with baked feta. Stephen Bender from Ballinrostig Cheese in east Cork is now making a feta. I love to roast this on a bed of spinach, covered with tomatoes. It's divine with the lamb, but I often serve baked feta as a main course with some good crusty bread.

I really love this time of year, as garden herbs are flourishing and I have my pick of what to add to dishes. Despite being uprooted and replanted several times over the past few weeks by a particularly assiduous toddler, my herbs seem to be doing quite well. I love having marjoram or oregano at hand. Sage and thyme are reliable and hardy. Use any herbs you like here. I’ve used a bit of a mish-mash and then drizzled the lot with basil pesto. It’s so delicious having a fresh burst of herbs with that melting lamb.

Shoulder of lamb with olives and baked feta: serves 4

Ingedients
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2tbs olive oil
250ml red wine
8 black olives, halved and stones removed
15g mixed herbs (I used thyme, oregano and sage)
1 shoulder of lamb, about 1.5kg, boned
2 large handfuls of spinach
200g feta cheese
200g cherry tomatoes
4tbs basil pesto

To serve
Mashed potato or cauliflower purée

Method
Mix the the crushed garlic, oil, olives and roughly torn herbs. Rub this mix all over the inside of the lamb piece – no need to put it on the fat-covered side. Pour the red wine over and make sure every part of the meat is covered with the wine. Roll it all up and place in a sealed Tupperware or zip-lock bag in the fridge for a few hours to marinade.

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees. Unroll the lamb and place in a roasting tray with 250ml of water and any of the marinade that hasn’t been soaked up. Cover tightly with foil and cook for two to three hours (three is best). Then remove the foil, baste the meat with juices and add another splash of water, if needed. Turn the oven up high to 200 degrees and roast uncovered for 10 minutes or so until the meat is crisp and browned. Cover with foil and leave to rest for a few minutes before serving.

You can cook the feta while the oven is high and browning the lamb. Roughly chop the spinach. Place in a colander and pour over boiling water. Leave to cool slightly, then squeeze dry and place at the base of a small oven-proof dish. Place the feta on top and cover with the chopped tomatoes. Drizzle with oil and bake for 10-15 minutes. To serve, simply shred the lamb with two forks and then spoon over some of the pan juices. Serve with the hot baked feta and cauliflower purée or mashed potato and a drizzle of pesto or some fresh herbs.