Jorge Paredes’ Greek-style Easter recipes for slow-roast lamb shoulder with fennel and orange salad

1 day ago 7

Spring in Greece is all about Easter, a time for family, tradition and lots of good food. Today’s recipes bring those celebrations to the dining table with slow-roasted lamb seasoned with Greek flavours of oregano and garlic, and paired with a crisp fennel and herb salad that celebrates the new season’s bounty. It’s a meal that’s just made for sharing – and for toasting the end of a long winter.

Greek-style braised lamb shoulder

Rich, soft and full-of-flavour lamb with classic Greek flavours and a gentle chilli heat.

Prep 10 min
Cook 4 hr 30 min
Serves 4-6

2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper
1½kg bone-in lamb shoulder
1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 small bunch fresh oregano (about 20g)
1 tsp chilli flakes
250ml white wine
500ml chicken stock
Juice of 1 lemon

Heat the oven to 160C (140C fan)/325F/gas 3. Put a tablespoon of olive oil in a large, heavy-based dutch oven-style pan in which the lamb will sit flat, and put on a medium-high heat. Season the lamb, sear on all sides until well browned all over, then lift out on to a plate. Add the onion to the hot oil in the pan and cook, stirring, for 10-12 minutes, until softened and starting to colour. Turn down the heat to medium-low, then add the garlic, oregano and chilli flakes, and cook, stirring, for a minute.

Pour in the wine and simmer for about four minutes to deglaze the pan, scraping any browned bits from bottom and sides. Once the wine has reduced by half, add the stock and lemon juice, then return the lamb shoulder to the pot, cover and roast for three hours, until the meat is very tender.

Take the pot out of the oven, turn up the heat to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6, then strain the liquid into a second pot (if it’s easier, lift out the lamb first). On the hob, cook the liquid on a medium-high heat until it reduces to a thicker, sauce-like consistency. Baste the lamb in the reduced cooking liquor, then cover the pot and return to the oven to roast for a further 30 minutes, basting every 10 minutes.

Take the pot out of the oven and leave to rest for 30 minutes. Shred and/or carve the meat, arrange it on a platter, pour over all the cooking juices and serve with the fennel salad below.

Fennel and herb salata

A refreshing, acidic side salad that really cuts through the richness of the lamb. Slicing the fennel very thinly makes a huge difference to the balance of the dish, but you can freestyle with the herbs to your heart’s content: use whatever you fancy, but just make sure they’re all very fresh.

Prep 20 min
Serves 4-6

2 fennel bulbs
40g fresh basil – Greek, Italian or Thai, it’s up to you
20g fresh mint
20g fresh dill
20g chervil, or tarragon
2 blood oranges, or 2 ordinary oranges or 1 grapefruit
10g fresh ginger, peeled
250ml extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 2 lemons
20g sugar
Salt, to taste

Slice the fennel as thinly as you can – use a mandoline, ideally – then put in a large bowl. Pick all the fresh herb leaves off their stems and add to the bowl. Peel and segment the oranges, then add to the bowl.

To make the dressing, grate the ginger into a small bowl (or jar), add the extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice and sugar, then whisk (or seal the jar and shake) to emulsify.

Just before serving, pour the dressing over the contents of the salad bowl, add a generous pinch of salt to taste, toss to coat and combine, and take to the table.