This is something my Mother cooked for our family over many years and continues to be a great favourite for my family as well.    We always make this using a Shoulder of Lamb and is such an easy way to serve Roast Lamb almost as a one pot dish!

If you cook this dish using neck of lamb, the meat cooks much more quickly and the vegetables should be prepared separately.  In this version, you can add a little tomato purée to the sauce.

Another idea is to serve this dish, but instead of using Lamb - choose a white meaty fish such as John Dory, Brill, Hake, Haddock or Halibut - take a look at Haddock Boulangère

Utensils

• Large roasting dish
• Chopping board
• Sharp knife
• Vegetable peeler
• Bowl for peelings
• Measuring jug
• 2 large bowls or colanders for separate vegetable storage
• Sheet of foil to protect whilst cooking



Ingredients

• One shoulder of lamb or a half shoulder if this is a better size.   (Left overs can always be made into curries etc!)
  
• 1 kg potatoes (I use King Edward) - thinly sliced
  
• 3 large Spanish onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
  
• 2  cloves garlic, peeled and split into pieces (using more will overpower the more delicate flavours of the meat and veg)
  
• Olive oil
  
• 2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary (or teaspoon of dried - but fresh is best)
  
• Bouquet garni
  
• 2 bay leaves
  
• Fresh sea salt
  
• Freshly ground black pepper
  
• Butter
  
• One glass of white wine
  
• 500ml or one pint stock with beef cube

To Serve:

Red Currant Jelly

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C Fan/190C.
   
   
2. Put the shoulder of lamb into a large deep roasting tin and prick the skin at intervals with a sharp knife.   Insert wedges of garlic into the holes.
   
   
3. Brush the lamb with some olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, finally adding some sprigs of rosemary on to the top of the lamb.
   
   
4. Wash, peel and then slice the potatoes thinly and pile these into a flat dish.
   
   
5. Peel, halve and thinly slice the Spanish onions and pile these into a separate dish.
   
   
6. Now arrange the potatoes and onions around the meat, tucking in the bouquet garni and bay leaves as you go and add a little seasoning to the vegetables.
   
   
7. Pour the stock and wine over the vegetables, depending on the size of the joint and also the size of your roasting pan, you may need to add a little more liquid.
   
   
8. Dot the top of the vegetables with pieces of butter.
   
   
9. Place the dish into the oven for about one and a half hours.    The general rule for cooking lamb, if a large joint is 15-20 minutes to the pound.
   
   
10. Keep an eye on the lamb and veg.   If the veg are starting to get too brown, then cover with a sheet of foil or greaseproof paper.
    
    
11. The vegetables need to be soft when pierced - the aroma of the lamb and herbs are too fabulous for words.
    
    
12. Serve this with steam/fried sweetheart cabbage, baby carrots with red currant jelly as the perfect accompaniment. We also served this with Roasted Beetroots with Apple Sauce.