Maple and spice slow-roasted shoulder of lamb with onion jus

Portion size: Serves 8
Hands-on 15 min, oven 4-4½ hours, plus resting
Difficulty: easy

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

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For a truly impressive Sunday lunch, try sticky, slow-roasted lamb – it’s marinated overnight to take the sweet, spicy flavours to the next level.

Why not serve this tender roast lamb as your Easter lunch centrepiece? Or check out more Easter lamb recipe ideas.

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Ingredients

2.5-3kg whole British lamb shoulder, on the bone if possible
2 red onions, sliced
400ml dry white wine, plus a splash extra
1 tsp cornflour (optional)

For the marinade

4 cloves
Seeds from 4 cardamom pods
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 fat garlic cloves, crushed
50ml maple syrup
1 tbsp black treacle
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp fish sauce

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Method

To make the marinade, crush the cloves, cardamom and fennel seeds in a pestle and mortar (or bash them with the end of a rolling pin in a bowl). Stir in the cinnamon, garlic, maple syrup, treacle, fish sauce and balsamic. Put the lamb on a baking tray. Make slits all over with the point of a knife, then rub the marinade over the meat and into the slits. Cover well and marinate in the fridge overnight.
Heat the oven to 180°C/160°fan/gas 4. Put the onions into a roomy roasting tin and put the lamb on top. Pour in 200ml wine and 200ml water and cover tightly with foil. Roast in the oven for 3½-4 hours. Check on the meat every so often, adding more wine or water if it’s getting dry. The lamb is cooked when it’s tender enough to pull apart with a fork.
Transfer the lamb to a carving board. Pour the roasting juices and onions into a saucepan, then put the lamb back in the roasting tin and return to the oven, uncovered. Roast for 25-30 minutes to brown the meat and crisp the skin.
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To make the onion jus, leave the juices in the saucepan for a few minutes, then spoon off the excess oil. Add the remaining wine and 250ml reserved cooking water from the broccoli (see recipe, right). Bring up to the boil, then simmer until reduced. If you prefer a thick gravy, add 1 tbsp cornflour mixed with a little water to the pan and stir until thickened. Keep warm or reheat when ready to serve.
Once the lamb has browned, it can rest, loosely covered, in a warm place for up to an hour or more.