FOCACCIA SANDWICH OF SLOW-COOKED LAMB SHOULDER, ROCKET, MINT YOGURT, RED ONION & OLIVES

A generous focaccia sandwich of meltingly tender lamb shoulder with fresh herbs, sharp pickles and creamy yogurt — bold, balanced and unmistakably delicious

INGREDIENTS

     +    
Pickled Red Onion

230g distilled vinegar

1 bay leaf

10g thyme

2g black peppercorns

100g water

100g brown sugar

10g salt

2 red onions

     +    
Slow-Cooked Lamb Shoulder

½ lamb shoulder (approx. 800g)

50ml olive oil

2 bay leaves

1–2 bulbs garlic, peeled

350ml balsamic vinegar

5 banana shallots, roughly chopped

12g fresh rosemary

12g fresh thyme

20g fresh basil

4 vine tomatoes, quartered

12g fine sea salt

3g black pepper

30g light brown demerara sugar

     +    
Fennel Seed Mint Yogurt

500g thick yogurt

8g salt

3g toasted fennel seeds, crushed

3g toasted fenugreek, crushed

8–10 mint leaves, finely sliced

8–10 basil leaves, finely sliced

Lemon zest

     +    
Fresh Pesto

40g rocket

40g basil

80g pine nuts

110g Parmesan

2 garlic cloves, microplaned

12 turns milled black pepper

3g sea salt

200g olive oil

     +    
Farro Wheat Salad

450ml boiling vegetable stock

300g farro wheat

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

Juice and zest of 1 orange

8g salt

2g crushed black pepper

30g Kalamata olives, roughly chopped

30g pine nuts, roughly chopped

50g sun-dried tomatoes, diced (soaked in stock)

2g toasted fennel seeds, crushed

     +    
Final Assembly

100g warmed pulled lamb

20g rocket leaves

15g mint yogurt

Fresh focaccia

Farro wheat salad

25g pickled red onion

1 pitta bread

A few torn mint leaves

Method

     +    
Pickled Red Onion

Cut the onions in half, lay flat-side down and slice thinly on a mandolin.


Simmer the vinegar, water, sugar and salt until dissolved, then cool.


Pour over the sliced onions and compress twice. Set aside.

     +    
Slow-Cooked Lamb Shoulder

Preheat the oven to 220°C.

Season the lamb with half the salt and pepper. Heat a casserole pan with olive oil over a medium heat and place the lamb fat-side down. Caramelise for 5 minutes to render the fat, then colour the other side and remove to a rack.

Return the pan to the heat and add the shallots and garlic. Season with the remaining salt and pepper, add the sugar, thyme, rosemary and bay, and cook for 10–12 minutes until golden. Add the tomatoes and cook for a further 5 minutes, then add the balsamic vinegar and basil.

Return the lamb to the pan, cover with parchment paper and a tight-fitting lid. Bring to a slow simmer, then transfer to the oven at 170°C and cook for 2½–3 hours, until the lamb is falling off the bone. Check every 30 minutes, topping up with a little water if needed, allowing the sauce to reduce.

Once cooked, allow the lamb to cool slightly. Pick all the meat onto a tray. Place the bones and trimmings back into the pan with the sauce, add a little water if needed and simmer steadily for 40 minutes, skimming as required. Pass the sauce into a clean pan, reduce by half, skim off excess fat, then pass through a fine sieve and spoon over the lamb.

     +    
Fennel Seed Mint Yogurt

Mix the yogurt with salt, fennel seeds and fenugreek.

Strain in muslin for 24 hours.

Fold through the mint, basil and lemon zest.

     +    
Fresh Pesto

Blend all ingredients for 20–30 seconds until smooth. Chill until needed.


(Optional: a little mayonnaise can be added.)

     +    
Farro Wheat Salad

Place the farro and all ingredients into a bowl.

Set over a pan of steaming water, cover tightly with cling film and cook for 25 minutes, or until tender.

     +    
Final Assembly

Spread the mint yogurt on one side of the bread and pesto on the other.


Place the lamb on the pesto side, followed by the farro salad.

Add the rocket, pickled red onion and mint leaves to the yogurt side. Bring together, cut in half and serve.

FOCACCIA SANDWICH OF SLOW-COOKED LAMB SHOULDER, ROCKET, MINT YOGURT, RED ONION & OLIVES

A generous focaccia sandwich of meltingly tender lamb shoulder with fresh herbs, sharp pickles and creamy yogurt — bold, balanced and unmistakably delicious

INGREDIENTS

   +  &nbsp
Pickled Red Onion

230g distilled vinegar

1 bay leaf

10g thyme

2g black peppercorns

100g water

100g brown sugar

10g salt

2 red onions

   +   
Slow-Cooked Lamb Shoulder

½ lamb shoulder (approx. 800g)

50ml olive oil

2 bay leaves

1–2 bulbs garlic, peeled

350ml balsamic vinegar

5 banana shallots, roughly chopped

12g fresh rosemary

12g fresh thyme

20g fresh basil

4 vine tomatoes, quartered

12g fine sea salt

3g black pepper

30g light brown demerara sugar

   +   
Fennel Seed Mint Yogurt

500g thick yogurt

8g salt

3g toasted fennel seeds, crushed

3g toasted fenugreek, crushed

8–10 mint leaves, finely sliced

8–10 basil leaves, finely sliced

Lemon zest

   +  &nbsp
Fresh Pesto

40g rocket

40g basil

80g pine nuts

110g Parmesan

2 garlic cloves, microplaned

12 turns milled black pepper

3g sea salt

200g olive oil

   +   
Farro Wheat Salad

450ml boiling vegetable stock

300g farro wheat

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

Juice and zest of 1 orange

8g salt

2g crushed black pepper

30g Kalamata olives, roughly chopped

30g pine nuts, roughly chopped

50g sun-dried tomatoes, diced (soaked in stock)

2g toasted fennel seeds, crushed

   +   
Final Assembly

100g warmed pulled lamb

20g rocket leaves

15g mint yogurt

Fresh focaccia

Farro wheat salad

25g pickled red onion

1 pitta bread

A few torn mint leaves

Method

   +   
Pickled Red Onion

Cut the onions in half, lay flat-side down and slice thinly on a mandolin.


Simmer the vinegar, water, sugar and salt until dissolved, then cool.


Pour over the sliced onions and compress twice. Set aside.

   +   
Slow-Cooked Lamb Shoulder

Preheat the oven to 220°C.

Season the lamb with half the salt and pepper. Heat a casserole pan with olive oil over a medium heat and place the lamb fat-side down. Caramelise for 5 minutes to render the fat, then colour the other side and remove to a rack.

Return the pan to the heat and add the shallots and garlic. Season with the remaining salt and pepper, add the sugar, thyme, rosemary and bay, and cook for 10–12 minutes until golden. Add the tomatoes and cook for a further 5 minutes, then add the balsamic vinegar and basil.

Return the lamb to the pan, cover with parchment paper and a tight-fitting lid. Bring to a slow simmer, then transfer to the oven at 170°C and cook for 2½–3 hours, until the lamb is falling off the bone. Check every 30 minutes, topping up with a little water if needed, allowing the sauce to reduce.

Once cooked, allow the lamb to cool slightly. Pick all the meat onto a tray. Place the bones and trimmings back into the pan with the sauce, add a little water if needed and simmer steadily for 40 minutes, skimming as required. Pass the sauce into a clean pan, reduce by half, skim off excess fat, then pass through a fine sieve and spoon over the lamb.

   +   
Fennel Seed Mint Yogurt

Mix the yogurt with salt, fennel seeds and fenugreek.

Strain in muslin for 24 hours.

Fold through the mint, basil and lemon zest.

   +   
Fresh Pesto

Blend all ingredients for 20–30 seconds until smooth. Chill until needed.


(Optional: a little mayonnaise can be added.)

   +   
Farro Wheat Salad

Place the farro and all ingredients into a bowl.

Set over a pan of steaming water, cover tightly with cling film and cook for 25 minutes, or until tender.

   +   
Final Assembly

Spread the mint yogurt on one side of the bread and pesto on the other.


Place the lamb on the pesto side, followed by the farro salad.

Add the rocket, pickled red onion and mint leaves to the yogurt side. Bring together, cut in half and serve.

We use cookies to understand how you use our website and to improve your experience. To learn more about our use of cookies and our approach to data privacy, please see our privacy policy. By continuing to use our website, you accept our use of cookies.