Samphire is not just an accompaniment to fish but its savoury, salty tendencies is ideal alongside richer meats such as lamb.
SERVES 6
- 2 sprigs rosemary, roughly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves
- Zest of 1 & juice of half lemon
- 3-4 anchovies
- Handful fresh parsley leaves
- 1 tbsp capers
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- Olive oil
- 1kg boned lamb shoulder
- 150ml white wine
- 200g dried flageolet beans, soaked overnight in cold water
- 1 garlic bulb
- 3 bay leaves
- 200g trimmed & washed samphire
- Salt & pepper
- Preheat your oven to 200C/Gas 6. Put the rosemary, garlic, lemon zest and juice, anchovies, parsley, capers and vinegar in a small food processor or blender. Pulse and blend, adding olive oil to help loosen until you have a green spreadable paste.
- Spread this paste over the inside of the lamb shoulder and roll up and tie tightly with butcher’s string. Season the lamb generously. Heat some oil in a pan and brown the outside of the lamb until golden brown.
- Transfer the lamb into a roasting pan and deglaze the frying pan with a glass of white wine and add along with a glass of water. Put in oven for 20 mins, then cover with foil, drop the oven temperature to 140C/Gas 1 and cook for 3-4 hours until the lamb is very tender.
- Meanwhile put the beans into a pan with half a bulb of garlic and the bay leaves, cover with cold water and slowly bring to the boil. Skim any scum that rises to the top and simmer for an about an hour or until tender. Drain, season and dress with a squeeze of lemon juice and olive oil, keep warm.
- For the samphire, blanch in boiling water for 60 secs, refresh in ice cold water, drain and set aside.
- When the lamb is cooked tip the liquid from the roasting pan into a jug, cut the strings from the meat and leave to rest for 15 mins. Skim the fat from the pan juices.
- To serve, warm the beans and fold in the samphire to heat through. Carve the lamb into thick crumbling slices and serve on top of the beans and sauce with the pan juices.