Lamb with Fresh Dates (6)
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/gas mark 3. Take your lamb shoulder out of the fridge 20 minutes before you want to cook it. While it is coming up to room temperature, halve the dates and remove the stones (this is easy to do if you cut them through the stem).
  2. Peel the onions and slice into 1cm wedges. Crush the garlic with the skins on, using the side of a chef’s knife.
  3. When the lamb is ready, pierce it in 4 places and poke in the bay leaves. Scatter the dates, cinnamon stick, onions and garlic in a large roasting tray and place the lamb on top. Drizzle with a little olive oil, season generously, then pour the hot stock into the tray.
  4. Take a large piece of baking paper, run it under cold water, scrunch it up and tuck it over the top of the lamb. Tightly cover the tray with foil and place in the oven for 4 hours.
  5. After 4 hours, remove the foil and paper and drizzle the lamb with the date molasses. Return it to the oven and cook for a further 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the lamb is sticky and incredibly tender, and the stock has reduced
  6. . Finish by adding a splash of red wine vinegar to the cooked-down dates and onions, season to taste, then serve.