Here I prepare the lamb shanks ‘Kleftiko’ style which originates from Greek & Cypriot cuisines, this makes beautiful & tender lamb in a light fragrant broth. You could substitute shanks for bone in the shoulder to serve a larger table, simply double everything up & extend cooking time by a couple of hours.
Method
Massage the lamb with olive oil, spices, garlic & sea salt
& marinate overnight in the chiller.
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/ 220°C.
Lay the potatoes on the base of the dish, then the peppers,
onion, and tomatoes over the potatoes.
Sit the lamb on top & squeeze the lemon over leaving the
wedges in the dish.
Roast for 20 minutes then pour the stock into the dish.
Add bay leaf then cover with a sheet of damp greaseproof paper
then a tight-fitting lid or tin foil to seal.
Reduce the oven to 150°C fan / 170°C.
Cook for 2 1⁄2 hours until meltingly tender then remove the lid
& turn up the heat to 200°C fan/ 220°C & roast for a
further 15 minutes until rich & caramelised.
Serve straight from the oven alongside a big bowl of freshly
prepared Greek salad.